Burn-Down ChartSymptomatycs

• May 2015• Dmytro Bibikov

Thinking Session

BDC

When

Where

What

Why

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Where – Scrum Framework SDLC

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When – Iteration / Release

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Why – Keep Constraints on Track

Iron Triangle

Interpreting

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What:

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• Make the reality of the project clear.• Show the impact of decisions.• Warn you early if things aren't going according

to plan.• Get rid of all the wishful thinking around dates.

Why interpreting BDC?!

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• Remaining effort for a given period of time.

Simplicity vs Information

Must contain:• X axis – remaining time• Y axis – remaining effort• Ideal effort as a guideline• Real progress of effort

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How Simple and Transperant

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• Story Points

Measures of Effort

• Items / Tasks

• Hours / Ideal Days

Symptomatics

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No Comments… or ‘Simple Case’

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Hey team, this is even worse. Maybe you completed something but completed work is not visible as a progress!• See Oh, management is coming! chart• Sprint might be still in progressWhat to improve?• Restart. From scratch, from training. Do

retrospective to figure out why this is happening.

Do Your Duties!!!

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• Stories/tasks are added into backlog constantly.• More work is added than completed.• Tasks are re-estimated constantly.• you will never be able to complete the

sprint if you will not fix it.What to improve?• Estimate stories/tasks immediately and

update your backlog.• Do not forget to start sprint if you use

electronic tool.

First Sprint in life – Up to the Sky

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Bump on the Road

Burn up first, then burn down.• Stories not estimated at the beginning of

sprint• Stories added till mid of the sprint.• Appropriate recognition of incorrect situation

in the mid of the sprint. Positive, but late.What to improve?• Restart your sprint by planning.

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Hey team, you are not doing what is necessary! Where are you going to? How do you know whether you are able to finish the sprint on time?• Maybe team is doing a work, but there is

someone adding an amount equal to completed work.• Team doesn’t update remaining time regularly.• Send Scrum Master and team back to training• Maybe stories were overestimated.• Product owner doesn’t take care as well.What to improve?• Stop the line after see line of 3 days as row.

Initiate retrospective immediately.

Management is coming!

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• Stories underestimated• Low commitment of the

team• Incorrect sprint capacity

calculation• Stories not grabbed from the

next sprint• Some team members do not

have tasks assigned.What to improve?• After two or three days

Scrum Master should ask if there is anything team can do from the next sprint. If yes then assign

Too Early / Too Late“You did not completed your commitment”. And you were all the time late.• Tasks not completed• Adaptation not done

during the sprintWhat to improve?• Check if size of the

sprint backlog is not growing. Stop the production line as soon as possible, before the sprint. Remove low priority stories from the sprint.

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This burn down chart indicates your team is fine to have a time to rest.• Team has finished work earlier than expected,

but could do more.• Maybe there are not enough items in sprint

backlog• Maybe team is larger than expected at the

beginning• Stories might be overestimatedWhat to improve?• Get additional stories as soon as possible form

the next sprint according priorities.

Let’s have a rest team

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This is typical burn down chart you can see in many already experienced team.• Team committed to goal• Adapted scope in case of need• Team improving speed to get things done• Team is asking How we are going to complete the

sprint• At the end they can grab additional stories from the

next sprintWhat to improve?• Stop before middle of the sprint and discuss how to get

back on track.• Something with lower priority should go out of your

sprint backlog.

Nice Team

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This is typical burn down chart you can see in many already experienced team.• A team committed to a goal• Adapted scope in case of need• Team improving speed to get things doneWhat to improve?• Grab additional stories from the next sprint

you are able to complete in the sprint.

Great Team

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Once you see such burn down chart congratulate to the team• They are doing great job.• Not over-committing• Not  late• Not earlier• On time• MastershipWhat to improve?• Just continue!

Ideal Team

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• Scrum Team has Full Authority to admit need for change, define approach, apply solution… Knowledge is the key.

Conclusion and Inspiration

Thank you!

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• http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/scrumburndown.php

• http://www.scrumdesk.com/is-it-your-burn-down-chart/• http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_54.htm• http://www.ambysoft.com/essays/brokenTriangle.html• https://

www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/release-burndown

• http://www.agilenutshell.com/burndown • http://

www.clariostechnology.com/productivity/blog/burnupvsburndownchart

• http://www.slideshare.net/MatthewWarton/burn-down-vs-burn-up-charts

References