Understanding the Agile Scrum Burndown Chart
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The Burndown Chart is not as complicated as a lot of people think. Some believe it is way too simple, which is probably why developers do not give it proper attention in order to have a better understanding of what it tells us. Hence, the number of errors that can occur during agile workshops.
A very basic definition of the Burndown Chart is that it is a graphical depiction, which shows the remaining workload or effort required during a specific period. It is a very elementary measure within an Agile Scrum and helps the development team keep track of the progress that is being made on a daily basis. As it shows daily progress, it is also a great resource to employ when predicting if a team will be able to accomplish the target it has been set.
After tracking the development progress of the product, the Scrum Team can use a Sprint Burndown Chart as well as a Release Burndown Chart.
The Burndown Chart can give the Scrum Team ideas on the information outlined below within the Agile Scrum Framework.
Aggregate Approximation
Aggregate approximation is a calculation of the total workload (in hours) to which the development team is dedicated and that is needed to complete all user-stories, close all tickets and resolve all problems that are outstanding.
Total Sum of Remaining Workload
This refers to the information that the Burndown Chart displays and also how the graph acquired its name. To be clearer, one can refer to it as the “Workload Burndown Chart”. The development team will “Burn Down” or, apply effort every day to ensure that there is no incomplete work remaining on the final day of the Sprint.
Total Working Days (Sprint Duration)
Seeing as the Scrum Team is required to plan and meticulously work on designated items each day, the sum of all working days including committed workload, are displayed on the chart. The days in which work is required are worked out and shown on the Burndown Chart, excluding public holidays, weekends etc. This total sum of working days is referred to as the Sprint Duration.
Ideal Workload
The Ideal Workload is created as a guide for the Scrum Team. It is created by computing the precise amount of workload that remains and which the team needs to complete. This is shown as a straight line on the graph, from the top of the Y-axis to the X-axis, noting that the point at which the line intersects the X-axis is the final day of the Sprint.
Real Workload
The line which indicates the actual amount of work left fluctuates on a daily basis and also differs from team to team. The change in the line is dependent on the amount of work that is completed each day left incomplete. If after the start of the Sprint more issues and user stories are added to the Scope, then such additions would be depicted as an ascendant spike in the line.
Framework The Burndown Chart and Scrum Development Team
During any Sprint, the Scrum Team is required to select the tasks and user stories that will be worked on. The team makes the task selection by analyzing all outstanding tasks. The onus also rests on the team to make task selections based on the level of importance, in order of priority and also using an estimate of when that task would be completed. After totaling all estimates for all tasks as determined by the Scrum Team, the resultant quantity is what is referred to as the Workload Remaining.
This Workload is now allocated into the number of days that are left in the Sprint Cycle. This is the set number of hours, which the development team has available to work on each task. Every day the amount decreases as work nears completion. In the Burndown Chart, the number of remaining work hours is illustrated on the Y-axis. Normally, the workload that remains is described in terms of Story Points. Story Points are a subjective measure used by the Scrum Team to determine the work required. To put it simply, Story Points tell the development team how difficult a task is.
In understanding the Burndown Chart, it is imperative to note that each unit on the X-axis symbolizes a unit of time, which is usually measured in weeks or months. Therefore, the Burndown Chart shows an estimation of the amount of work that is being achieved over a period of time.
From the perspective of a Project Manager (PM), the Burndown Chart is a valuable planning and recording tool. It is highly functional, illustrating the time-frame within which all the tasks are to be fulfilled. Based on this crucial detail, it is one of the must-have development resources when making plans.
It assists the Scrum Team or Project Manager in Scope Management. It also provides insight into the general scope of the Sprint. Whatever is not included in the list of tasks is considered to be out of the scope of the Sprint and therefore disregarded.
The Burndown Chart also aids in Schedule Management. As the Burndown chart is revised every day by including work details, the development team is continually kept aware of whether they are on track or not.
Burndown Charts also useful for reducing risks because they give feedback on a daily basis, so if and when something goes amiss the team will know right away and will be able to respond accordingly and set things right.
It also acts as a vital communication tool for the Product Users and the Product Owner and the Burndown Charts can be printed and read out or explained to the Product Stakeholders to show the day to day progress of the Scrum Team working on the product development.
Image for Example of a Burndown Chart
The diagram is an example of a Burndown Chart, which shows the workload that remains against the time given for the entire Sprint. The workload remaining is represented on the vertical Y-axis while the total time is shown on the horizontal X-axis.
The Burndown Chart is helpful for making calculated forecasts on when the entire workload will be fulfilled. The workload which remains can be quantified as either Story Points or as time.
(In the given graph, the Scrum Team has almost met their goal, seeing as the red line, which represents the total amount of work that has been done, is close to the blue line, which symbolizes the forecast date for all work to be completed. The Sprint Burndown Chart in Agile Scrum)
The Sprint Burndown Chart is similar to the Burndown Chart in Agile Scrum, the major dissimilarity being that it illustrates work that remains in a Sprint.
Just like in its regular counterpart, the Sprint Burndown Chart measures the work remaining on the Y-axis as Story Points. The actual distinction is based on the X-axis of the chart, which depicts time measured in units of a Sprint. The length of the time units is dependent on the length of a Sprint. For example, if the Sprint duration is 4 weeks, the X-axis of the Sprint Burndown Chart will be measured to the extent of 4 weeks on the graph.
The Burndown Chart is quite functional in making records and keeping track of the Scrum team’s progress during a Sprint.
The Sprint Burndown Chart is of great use to Project Managers because by examining and evaluating it a PMs will be able to:
Example of a Sprint Burndown chart
The diagram above depicts a Sprint Burndown Chart. In this graph, the Sprint duration is pegged at 4 weeks, which is the average time length for a Sprint. The red line in the chart shows the actual progress being made by the Scrum Team. And the blue line stands for the projected time of completion or the development of the Sprint.
Based on the blue line in this graph, the work should be completed by the 1st of July although as shown, the red line is not aligned with the forecast. On careful examination of this difference, the project manager can estimate that the definite completion of the Sprint may take place AFTER the 1st of July.
The Release Burndown Chart keeps records of the Scrum Team’s progress tracks the team’s progress during a Release. The Y-axis of the Release Burndown Chart is measured in Story Points, or hours, while the X-axis of the chart if measured in time, being the total duration of the release.
After analyzing a Release Burndown Chart, one may decide to pose the following questions:
Example of a Release Burndown Chart
The diagram above is a Release Burndown Chart. This graph is akin to other Burndown graphs with the red line symbolizing the actual work being accomplished while the blue line represents the trend line.
Based on this Release Burndown graph, the Scrum Team is progressive and will most likely complete the work by the final day represented on the trend line.
Updating the Release Burndown Chart
The Scrum Master is responsible for updating and revising the Release Burndown at the conclusion of every Sprint. At other times, there are cases where projects have continuously varying requirements and therefore there would be a need for one to seek alternatives.
The Burndown Bar Chart
A Burndown Bar Chart is another way of showing the Burndown Chart. For example, if the Scrum Team is scheduled to make 50 Story Points of progress, but the Burndown Chart only displays a total progress of 20 points. It begs the question: Was the development team slow in completing tasks or were new items (issues or user stories) added to the Release? The response to this question lies in the Burndown Bar Chart.
Whenever new items are added by the Product Owner, they are displayed in the negative area on the graph. That activity helps the team know when a certain amount of work was added during a Sprint and can sometimes help explain shortcomings in progress of other, planned, work.
The Safe Agile Burndown Chart, which is also known as the PI Burndown Chart is yet another type of Burndown Chart. This Chart illustrates the progress that has been made using the Program Increment (PI) Time Box. It is employed as a means of tracking the workload intended for a PI against the workload that has been acknowledged.
Iterations within the PI are represented on the Y-axis of the PI Burndown Chart. The total sum of work measured in story points is displayed on the X-axis of the PI Burndown Chart at the beginning of every iteration. This type of graph places the highest significance at the Iteration boundaries.
A Burnup Chart keeps records of the development of the project up to completion. On a Burnup Chart, two things are essentially being recorded or followed up. These are the total amount of workload and the work that has been completed.
The vertical Y-axis is quite general as it can represent all units of work, i.e. the Story Points or total work hours. The horizontal X-axis represents time, which is measured in days or months.
There is a lot of similarity between a Burndown Chart and a Burnup Chart. The major variance between these two forms of the chart is the addition of the Scope Line. The Scope Line helps to keep track of all work that is either added to the project or excluded from the project. The Scope Line is important because it helps the Scrum Team know at certain times that new work items were included in the project. The Scope Line also allows the team to have a better view or estimate of when the project will be fully completed.
Example of a Burnup chart
The graph pictured above is an example of a Burnup Chart. The red line represents the actual workload that has been accomplished by the Scrum Team while the blue line depicts development or trend. In the above example, the development team is doing quite well and is expected to complete the project easily within the forecasted duration.
The Release Burnup Chart
The Release Burnup Chart helps to keep track of the workload that has been accomplished during the Release. This chart can be utilized to determine if the Release Scope is achievable. The vertical Y-axis stands for the sum of work acknowledged in Story Points or hours. The horizontal X-axis signifies the dates that are in the release. The Release Burnup Chart also takes account of the Scope Line for the Release.
Example of a Release Burnup Chart
The above graph is an example of a Release Burnup Chart. As in the other charts, the red line signifies the Scrum Team’s progress while the blue line shows the project trend. Judging from the positions of the lines in this chart, it’s safe to say that the development team is having challenges in meeting their deadline, seeing as the red line (team progress) is burning down speedily at January 11th.
Iteration Burndown Chart
The Iteration Burndown Chart is a practical graph that shows the work that remains and also the workload that has been completed in the iteration. This graph is a valuable tool in retrospective meetings, as it can help the Scrum Team pinpoint issues that took place during the iteration or issues that took place during the planning phase.
Velocity in Agile is a tool for calculating the speed with which an Agile Scrum Team completes the work. It is a practical planning tool for estimating how quickly work can be completed and the length or duration of time it would take to finish a project. The measure is computed by analyzing the work that the Scrum Team completed during preceding Sprints. For example: If the development team accomplished 10 User Stories during a 2-week Sprint and every story was equal to 3 story points, that means the team’s velocity per Sprint is 30 story points.
Agile Method Velocity Formula
The formula for computing velocity is given as:
No. of Sum Story Points / No. of Sprints = Velocity of the Scrum Team
Sprint Velocity Chart
The Sprint Velocity Chart is helpful when assessing the amount of value delivered by the team in each Sprint. What makes it even more useful is that it allows you to predict the amount of work that the team can do in future Sprints. This is quite a good tool to use in Sprint Planning meetings as it helps identify how much work you can commit to.
Example of Sprint Velocity Chart
The graph above is a Sprint Velocity Chart where every Sprint is symbolized by a bar. The blue section of the bar depicts the workload that has been fulfilled while the red section of the bar represents the remaining workload.
In summary, the effectiveness of the Scrum Burndown Chart as a useful tool for tracking the progress on Scrum based projects cannot be overemphasized. Although their use varies across various projects Burndown Charts are still favored by a good number of Agile practitioners. As you familiarize yourself with Scrum do not be surprised to see variations of the Burndown Charts; however, one thing remains certain - it is one of the simplest progress tracking tools within the Scrum Framework that you will ever find.
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The Burndown Chart is not as complicated as a lot of people think. Some believe it is way too simple, which is probably why developers do not give it proper attention in order to have a better understanding of what it tells us. Hence, the number of errors that can occur during agile workshops.
A very basic definition of the Burndown Chart is that it is a graphical depiction, which shows the remaining workload or effort required during a specific period. It is a very elementary measure within an Agile Scrum and helps the development team keep track of the progress that is being made on a daily basis. As it shows daily progress, it is also a great resource to employ when predicting if a team will be able to accomplish the target it has been set.
After tracking the development progress of the product, the Scrum Team can use a Sprint Burndown Chart as well as a Release Burndown Chart.
The Burndown Chart can give the Scrum Team ideas on the information outlined below within the Agile Scrum Framework.
Aggregate Approximation
Aggregate approximation is a calculation of the total workload (in hours) to which the development team is dedicated and that is needed to complete all user-stories, close all tickets and resolve all problems that are outstanding.
Total Sum of Remaining Workload
This refers to the information that the Burndown Chart displays and also how the graph acquired its name. To be clearer, one can refer to it as the “Workload Burndown Chart”. The development team will “Burn Down” or, apply effort every day to ensure that there is no incomplete work remaining on the final day of the Sprint.
Total Working Days (Sprint Duration)
Seeing as the Scrum Team is required to plan and meticulously work on designated items each day, the sum of all working days including committed workload, are displayed on the chart. The days in which work is required are worked out and shown on the Burndown Chart, excluding public holidays, weekends etc. This total sum of working days is referred to as the Sprint Duration.
Ideal Workload
The Ideal Workload is created as a guide for the Scrum Team. It is created by computing the precise amount of workload that remains and which the team needs to complete. This is shown as a straight line on the graph, from the top of the Y-axis to the X-axis, noting that the point at which the line intersects the X-axis is the final day of the Sprint.
Real Workload
The line which indicates the actual amount of work left fluctuates on a daily basis and also differs from team to team. The change in the line is dependent on the amount of work that is completed each day left incomplete. If after the start of the Sprint more issues and user stories are added to the Scope, then such additions would be depicted as an ascendant spike in the line.
Reading and Understanding a Burndown Chart in Agile
Framework The Burndown Chart and Scrum Development Team
During any Sprint, the Scrum Team is required to select the tasks and user stories that will be worked on. The team makes the task selection by analyzing all outstanding tasks. The onus also rests on the team to make task selections based on the level of importance, in order of priority and also using an estimate of when that task would be completed. After totaling all estimates for all tasks as determined by the Scrum Team, the resultant quantity is what is referred to as the Workload Remaining.
This Workload is now allocated into the number of days that are left in the Sprint Cycle. This is the set number of hours, which the development team has available to work on each task. Every day the amount decreases as work nears completion. In the Burndown Chart, the number of remaining work hours is illustrated on the Y-axis. Normally, the workload that remains is described in terms of Story Points. Story Points are a subjective measure used by the Scrum Team to determine the work required. To put it simply, Story Points tell the development team how difficult a task is.
In understanding the Burndown Chart, it is imperative to note that each unit on the X-axis symbolizes a unit of time, which is usually measured in weeks or months. Therefore, the Burndown Chart shows an estimation of the amount of work that is being achieved over a period of time.
The Burndown Chart in Agile Project Management
From the perspective of a Project Manager (PM), the Burndown Chart is a valuable planning and recording tool. It is highly functional, illustrating the time-frame within which all the tasks are to be fulfilled. Based on this crucial detail, it is one of the must-have development resources when making plans.
It assists the Scrum Team or Project Manager in Scope Management. It also provides insight into the general scope of the Sprint. Whatever is not included in the list of tasks is considered to be out of the scope of the Sprint and therefore disregarded.
The Burndown Chart also aids in Schedule Management. As the Burndown chart is revised every day by including work details, the development team is continually kept aware of whether they are on track or not.
Burndown Charts also useful for reducing risks because they give feedback on a daily basis, so if and when something goes amiss the team will know right away and will be able to respond accordingly and set things right.
It also acts as a vital communication tool for the Product Users and the Product Owner and the Burndown Charts can be printed and read out or explained to the Product Stakeholders to show the day to day progress of the Scrum Team working on the product development.
Image for Example of a Burndown Chart
The diagram is an example of a Burndown Chart, which shows the workload that remains against the time given for the entire Sprint. The workload remaining is represented on the vertical Y-axis while the total time is shown on the horizontal X-axis.
The Burndown Chart is helpful for making calculated forecasts on when the entire workload will be fulfilled. The workload which remains can be quantified as either Story Points or as time.
(In the given graph, the Scrum Team has almost met their goal, seeing as the red line, which represents the total amount of work that has been done, is close to the blue line, which symbolizes the forecast date for all work to be completed. The Sprint Burndown Chart in Agile Scrum)
The Sprint Burndown Chart is similar to the Burndown Chart in Agile Scrum, the major dissimilarity being that it illustrates work that remains in a Sprint.
Just like in its regular counterpart, the Sprint Burndown Chart measures the work remaining on the Y-axis as Story Points. The actual distinction is based on the X-axis of the chart, which depicts time measured in units of a Sprint. The length of the time units is dependent on the length of a Sprint. For example, if the Sprint duration is 4 weeks, the X-axis of the Sprint Burndown Chart will be measured to the extent of 4 weeks on the graph.
The Burndown Chart is quite functional in making records and keeping track of the Scrum team’s progress during a Sprint.
Project Managers and the Sprint Burndown Chart
The Sprint Burndown Chart is of great use to Project Managers because by examining and evaluating it a PMs will be able to:
- Record the amount of work that remains in the backlog.
- Maintain records of the progress of the development team and how fast they are working.
- Forecast the likely duration required by the team to accomplish their objectives and finished their workload.
Example of a Sprint Burndown chart
The diagram above depicts a Sprint Burndown Chart. In this graph, the Sprint duration is pegged at 4 weeks, which is the average time length for a Sprint. The red line in the chart shows the actual progress being made by the Scrum Team. And the blue line stands for the projected time of completion or the development of the Sprint.
Based on the blue line in this graph, the work should be completed by the 1st of July although as shown, the red line is not aligned with the forecast. On careful examination of this difference, the project manager can estimate that the definite completion of the Sprint may take place AFTER the 1st of July.
Understanding the Release Burndown Chart
The Release Burndown Chart keeps records of the Scrum Team’s progress tracks the team’s progress during a Release. The Y-axis of the Release Burndown Chart is measured in Story Points, or hours, while the X-axis of the chart if measured in time, being the total duration of the release.
After analyzing a Release Burndown Chart, one may decide to pose the following questions:
- What is the total amount of workload left in the Release?
- How fast is the development team working on the Product backlog?
Example of a Release Burndown Chart
The diagram above is a Release Burndown Chart. This graph is akin to other Burndown graphs with the red line symbolizing the actual work being accomplished while the blue line represents the trend line.
Based on this Release Burndown graph, the Scrum Team is progressive and will most likely complete the work by the final day represented on the trend line.
Updating the Release Burndown Chart
The Scrum Master is responsible for updating and revising the Release Burndown at the conclusion of every Sprint. At other times, there are cases where projects have continuously varying requirements and therefore there would be a need for one to seek alternatives.
The Burndown Bar Chart
A Burndown Bar Chart is another way of showing the Burndown Chart. For example, if the Scrum Team is scheduled to make 50 Story Points of progress, but the Burndown Chart only displays a total progress of 20 points. It begs the question: Was the development team slow in completing tasks or were new items (issues or user stories) added to the Release? The response to this question lies in the Burndown Bar Chart.
Whenever new items are added by the Product Owner, they are displayed in the negative area on the graph. That activity helps the team know when a certain amount of work was added during a Sprint and can sometimes help explain shortcomings in progress of other, planned, work.
The Safe Agile Burndown Chart
The Safe Agile Burndown Chart, which is also known as the PI Burndown Chart is yet another type of Burndown Chart. This Chart illustrates the progress that has been made using the Program Increment (PI) Time Box. It is employed as a means of tracking the workload intended for a PI against the workload that has been acknowledged.
Iterations within the PI are represented on the Y-axis of the PI Burndown Chart. The total sum of work measured in story points is displayed on the X-axis of the PI Burndown Chart at the beginning of every iteration. This type of graph places the highest significance at the Iteration boundaries.
Function of a Burnup Chart in Agile Scrum
A Burnup Chart keeps records of the development of the project up to completion. On a Burnup Chart, two things are essentially being recorded or followed up. These are the total amount of workload and the work that has been completed.
The vertical Y-axis is quite general as it can represent all units of work, i.e. the Story Points or total work hours. The horizontal X-axis represents time, which is measured in days or months.
There is a lot of similarity between a Burndown Chart and a Burnup Chart. The major variance between these two forms of the chart is the addition of the Scope Line. The Scope Line helps to keep track of all work that is either added to the project or excluded from the project. The Scope Line is important because it helps the Scrum Team know at certain times that new work items were included in the project. The Scope Line also allows the team to have a better view or estimate of when the project will be fully completed.
Example of a Burnup chart
The graph pictured above is an example of a Burnup Chart. The red line represents the actual workload that has been accomplished by the Scrum Team while the blue line depicts development or trend. In the above example, the development team is doing quite well and is expected to complete the project easily within the forecasted duration.
The Release Burnup Chart
The Release Burnup Chart helps to keep track of the workload that has been accomplished during the Release. This chart can be utilized to determine if the Release Scope is achievable. The vertical Y-axis stands for the sum of work acknowledged in Story Points or hours. The horizontal X-axis signifies the dates that are in the release. The Release Burnup Chart also takes account of the Scope Line for the Release.
Example of a Release Burnup Chart
The above graph is an example of a Release Burnup Chart. As in the other charts, the red line signifies the Scrum Team’s progress while the blue line shows the project trend. Judging from the positions of the lines in this chart, it’s safe to say that the development team is having challenges in meeting their deadline, seeing as the red line (team progress) is burning down speedily at January 11th.
Iteration Burndown Chart
The Iteration Burndown Chart is a practical graph that shows the work that remains and also the workload that has been completed in the iteration. This graph is a valuable tool in retrospective meetings, as it can help the Scrum Team pinpoint issues that took place during the iteration or issues that took place during the planning phase.
Tool of Velocity in Agile Method
Velocity in Agile is a tool for calculating the speed with which an Agile Scrum Team completes the work. It is a practical planning tool for estimating how quickly work can be completed and the length or duration of time it would take to finish a project. The measure is computed by analyzing the work that the Scrum Team completed during preceding Sprints. For example: If the development team accomplished 10 User Stories during a 2-week Sprint and every story was equal to 3 story points, that means the team’s velocity per Sprint is 30 story points.
Agile Method Velocity Formula
The formula for computing velocity is given as:
No. of Sum Story Points / No. of Sprints = Velocity of the Scrum Team
Sprint Velocity Chart
The Sprint Velocity Chart is helpful when assessing the amount of value delivered by the team in each Sprint. What makes it even more useful is that it allows you to predict the amount of work that the team can do in future Sprints. This is quite a good tool to use in Sprint Planning meetings as it helps identify how much work you can commit to.
Example of Sprint Velocity Chart
The graph above is a Sprint Velocity Chart where every Sprint is symbolized by a bar. The blue section of the bar depicts the workload that has been fulfilled while the red section of the bar represents the remaining workload.
In summary, the effectiveness of the Scrum Burndown Chart as a useful tool for tracking the progress on Scrum based projects cannot be overemphasized. Although their use varies across various projects Burndown Charts are still favored by a good number of Agile practitioners. As you familiarize yourself with Scrum do not be surprised to see variations of the Burndown Charts; however, one thing remains certain - it is one of the simplest progress tracking tools within the Scrum Framework that you will ever find.
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