Utilisation

Utilisation, also spelled utilization in American English, refers to the act of using something or the extent to which it is used. It can apply to physical resources, services, or data. The term is common in economics, engineering, information technology, and management.

In economics and operations, utilisation is often quantified as utilization rate, the ratio of actual output or use to the available capacity or potential output. High utilisation indicates efficient use of resources but may signal stress on systems if sustained.

In manufacturing and energy, capacity utilisation measures how fully a plant or facility is being used. In information technology, CPU utilisation or memory utilisation describes how much processing power or memory is actively used.

In healthcare and public services, utilisation can refer to the occupancy of facilities (bed utilisation) or the use of services by customers. In environmental and resource management, utilisation refers to how natural resources are extracted and used.

Considerations: Measuring utilisation requires clear baselines for capacity and time horizon. Underutilisation can imply inefficiency or under-demand; overutilisation can lead to wear, higher maintenance costs, or reduced resilience. Spelling differences may appear in international documents, with utilisation common in British English and utilization in American English.