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How to Track Sprint Velocity for Engineering Teams
Sprint velocity tracking enables accurate capacity planning and realistic commitments. GitScrum tracks story points completed per sprint, provides velocity trends through Reports, and helps teams identify patterns that affect delivery—transforming velocity from a vanity metric into a planning tool.
Understanding Velocity
What Velocity Measures
VELOCITY FUNDAMENTALS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ WHAT VELOCITY IS AND ISN'T │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ✅ VELOCITY IS: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ • Story points completed per sprint (average) ││
│ │ • Planning input for future sprints ││
│ │ • Team capacity indicator ││
│ │ • Trend to watch, not absolute number ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ │
│ ❌ VELOCITY IS NOT: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ • Performance measurement for individuals ││
│ │ • Comparison between teams ││
│ │ • Something to "improve" indefinitely ││
│ │ • Excuse to pressure team ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ │
│ HEALTHY VELOCITY: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ • Stable over time (predictable) ││
│ │ • Matches team composition ││
│ │ • Accounts for meetings, support, etc. ││
│ │ • Used for planning, not judgment ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Tracking in GitScrum
Velocity Measurement
| Data Point | Source |
|---|---|
| Story points | Task effort field |
| Sprint completion | Tasks in Done column |
| Sprint history | Cumulative Flow report |
| Velocity trend | Sprint-over-sprint comparison |
Velocity Calculation
How to Measure
VELOCITY TRACKING PROCESS:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SPRINT-BY-SPRINT TRACKING │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ AT SPRINT END: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ 1. Count story points in Done column ││
│ │ 2. Only count fully completed tasks ││
│ │ 3. Record in velocity tracking ││
│ │ 4. Note any anomalies (holidays, sick days, etc.) ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ │
│ VELOCITY CALCULATION: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ Average velocity = Sum of last 3-4 sprints / count ││
│ │ ││
│ │ Example: ││
│ │ Sprint 1: 28 pts ││
│ │ Sprint 2: 32 pts ││
│ │ Sprint 3: 24 pts (holiday week) ││
│ │ Sprint 4: 30 pts ││
│ │ ││
│ │ Average: (28+32+24+30) / 4 = 28.5 pts ││
│ │ Planning: Commit to 26-30 pts next sprint ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ │
│ FOR PLANNING: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ • Use average, not best sprint ││
│ │ • Account for known disruptions ││
│ │ • Leave 10-20% buffer for unknowns ││
│ │ • Adjust for team changes ││
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Using Velocity Data
Planning Applications
- Sprint commitment - How much to take on
- Release planning - How many sprints for features
- Capacity changes - Impact of adding/losing team members
- Trend analysis - Is velocity stable or fluctuating?
- Problem detection - Sudden drops indicate issues
Velocity Anti-Patterns
What to Avoid
| Anti-Pattern | Why It's Harmful |
|---|---|
| Comparing teams | Different point scales |
| Demanding increases | Leads to point inflation |
| Punishing low velocity | Hides real problems |
| Ignoring context | Holidays, illness matter |