How I Found $10M in Hidden Engineering Capacity

Eliminated work overload and delivered breakthrough team performance without adding headcount

Client Overview

Industry

Enterprise SaaS Platform

Organization

200+ Engineers, 16 Teams

Engagement

9-Month Implementation

The Situation

The executive team saw the symptoms: missed deadlines, constant fire drills, and frustrated engineers. The initial diagnosis from leadership was "poor project management" at the team level, with pressure on my function to "do more."

The Real Diagnosis

I presented leadership with a simple, uncomfortable question: "If the system is designed for our teams to fail, how can we hold them accountable when they do?"

The real problem wasn't the teams; it was a leadership-level "Do It All" mindset. This had created a system of constant overcommitment, with no portfolio-level accountability for the chaos it produced. The data showed that the Product organization was starting 29% more work than it could ever finish.

The Fix

After getting buy-in to tackle the root cause, I installed my Portfolio Flow Framework. This is not a theoretical transformation; it's the practical installation of a system designed to create predictability. The core of the work involved:

Establishing Leadership Accountability:

Implementing a portfolio-level RACI to manage systemic challenges.

Implementing Data-Driven WIP Limits:

Installing strategic constraints to stop work overload and protect team focus.

Building a Single Source of Truth:

Using Jira Product Discovery to create the visibility needed to make data-driven trade-offs.

The Results

Business Impact

•$10M+ Annual Operational Savings: Substantial throughput improvements without additional headcount
•Teams Doubled Delivery Speed: Several teams doubled their output through systematic capacity management
•Stopped Work Overload: Reduced from 29% overcommitment to sustainable, predictable delivery
•Reliable Planning: Leadership could confidently forecast multi-quarter roadmaps
•Strategic Adoption: Framework became strategic requirement from senior leadership for critical programs
•Executive Confidence: Key VP reaction: "It works! Hard to argue with evidence."
•Better Resource ROI: Engineering investment more efficiently converted into delivered business value
•Protected Team Focus: Clear boundaries eliminated constant interruptions while maintaining team independence

📺

Featured on ProKanban.org

This transformation was presented on ProKanban.org's "Beyond the Board" LinkedIn Live series.

Watch the full 50-minute case study presentation →