How do you use burndown charts to measure progress and quality?

1 What is a burndown chart?

A burndown chart is a simple graph that plots the amount of work left to do (y-axis) against the time elapsed (x-axis). The work can be measured in different units, such as story points, hours, or tasks. The ideal line represents the expected rate of work completion, assuming a constant velocity. The actual line shows the actual work done at any given point in time. The difference between the ideal and the actual lines indicates the deviation from the plan.

2 How to create a burndown chart?

Creating a burndown chart requires a clear definition of work and how to estimate it, as well as regular tracking and updating. You can use various tools, such as spreadsheets, online software, or physical boards, to create and display the chart. The basic steps are defining the scope of work and breaking it down into manageable units, estimating the effort required for each unit of work with a consistent method, calculating the total amount of work and plotting it as the starting point of the ideal line on the chart, dividing the total amount of work by the number of time periods and plotting the end point of the ideal line on the chart with a straight line between them, tracking the work done each day or each week and subtracting it from the remaining work with a curve or a line connecting the points on the actual line, and reviewing and updating the chart regularly to compare it with the ideal line.

3 How to read a burndown chart?

A burndown chart can be a great indicator of the progress and quality of work, depending on the shape and position of the actual line. If the actual line is below the ideal line, it means you are ahead of schedule and have completed more work than expected. This could be a sign of good performance or an underestimation of the work or quality. On the other hand, if the actual line is above the ideal line, it indicates you are behind schedule and have done less work than expected. This could be due to poor performance or unforeseen challenges such as scope changes, technical issues, or dependencies. If the actual line is parallel to the ideal line, it suggests consistent performance and accurate estimation – or that you have adjusted the scope or quality to match your plan. Lastly, a flat or spiky actual line indicates that you have not updated the chart regularly or completed a lot of work in a short period of time; this could be a sign of poor communication, lack of transparency, or uneven distribution of work.

4 How to improve your burndown chart?

A burndown chart is not a static document, but a dynamic feedback mechanism. You can use it to monitor and improve your progress and quality by analyzing trends and patterns of the actual line, identifying root causes of any deviations from the ideal line, and discussing issues and opportunities with your team. Additionally, you should update the chart frequently and accurately, make it visible to all stakeholders, implement changes to track their impact, celebrate achievements or learn from failures, review and refine estimation and planning methods, and use historical data to calibrate expectations and assumptions.

5 How to use burndown charts for quality assurance?

A burndown chart can also help you measure and improve the quality of your work, by demonstrating the amount of time and effort you spend on testing, fixing, and refining your product. You can use different types of burndown charts to track different aspects of quality, such as a release burndown chart which shows the progress of the entire project and how close you are to delivering a potentially shippable product. It can be used to manage scope, schedule, budget, risks, and dependencies. A sprint burndown chart displays the progress of a single sprint, and how well you are meeting the sprint goal and definition of done. This type of chart can be used to monitor velocity, throughput, and value of the sprint, as well as optimize workflow and collaboration. Lastly, a defect burndown chart displays the number of defects found and fixed during a project or sprint and how they affect product quality. It can be used to monitor defect rate, defect density, and defect resolution time in order to improve testing and coding practices.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?