1. What is Velocity in Agile?

Velocity is a key Agile metric that measures the amount of work a team can complete in a sprint, typically measured in story points. It helps teams predict how much work they can realistically commit to in future sprints.

2. How Velocity is Calculated

The velocity formula is simple:

Where:

• Story Points - Relative measure of effort required to complete a user story
• Sprints - Time-boxed iterations (typically 1-4 weeks)

Example: If a team completes 50 story points over 5 sprints, their average velocity is 10 points/sprint.

3. Importance of Velocity Tracking

Details: Velocity helps with sprint planning, forecasting release dates, identifying process improvements, and maintaining sustainable pace. It's a team-specific metric that shouldn't be compared across teams.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the total story points completed across several sprints and the number of sprints. For best results, use data from 3-6 sprints to account for variability.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How many sprints should I include?
A: Typically 3-6 sprints. Fewer may not account for variability, while more may include outdated performance data.

Q2: Why is my velocity fluctuating?
A: Normal fluctuations occur due to holidays, team changes, or complex stories. Look at trends rather than individual sprints.

Q3: Should we try to increase velocity?
A: Focus on consistent, sustainable velocity rather than arbitrary increases. Improvements should come from process improvements, not pressure.

Q4: What if we change story point scale?
A: Velocity isn't comparable across different scales. Re-establish baseline after changing estimation methods.

Q5: How does velocity relate to capacity?
A: Velocity reflects actual output, while capacity is potential availability. Capacity helps plan, velocity helps predict.