Velocity

Velocity is the rate at which a Scrum team delivers work, measured by the total story points (or other estimation units) completed in each sprint. It is a planning tool that helps teams make realistic commitments and forecast delivery timelines.

How velocity works:

• At the end of each sprint, sum the story points of all completed stories (only fully done items count)
• Track velocity over multiple sprints to establish a stable average
• Use the average velocity to plan future sprints and forecast release dates

Velocity metrics:

• Sprint velocity: Story points completed in a single sprint
• Average velocity: Mean velocity over the last 3-5 sprints
• Velocity range: Minimum to maximum velocity over recent sprints
• Velocity trend: Whether velocity is increasing, stable, or decreasing

Using velocity for planning:

• Sprint planning: Commit to a number of story points close to the team's average velocity
• Release planning: Divide remaining story points by average velocity to estimate sprints needed
• Capacity planning: Adjust velocity expectations for planned absences or part-time availability

Important velocity principles:

• Velocity is a planning tool, NOT a performance metric
• Do not compare velocity between teams (each team's story points are calibrated differently)
• Do not pressure teams to increase velocity (this leads to story point inflation)
• Velocity naturally fluctuates - use a range rather than a single number
• Only count stories that meet the definition of done (no partial credit)
• New teams typically take 3-5 sprints to establish a stable velocity

Factors that affect velocity:

• Team composition changes (new members reduce velocity initially)
• Technical debt (accumulated debt slows delivery)
• Sprint disruptions (unplanned work, meetings, context switching)
• Story complexity and uncertainty
• Team maturity and collaboration effectiveness
• Holidays and absences