This document provides a gentle introduction to using burn-up charts to track progress on Agile projects. It explains that burn-up charts plot the completion of scope (story points) over time (iterations). They allow you to see if a project is on track to meet its target date and scope. The document outlines how to create a basic burn-up chart by scoping work into stories, estimating stories in points, tracking when stories are added and completed to iterations, and plotting it on a chart. It notes some things to watch out for like scope growing, testing time needed, and external risks.

1. Agile project trackingA gentle introduction to using burn-up charts to manage Agile projects

2. One question …

3. “Is my project on track?”

4. YesTargetdateScopeTime

5. NoTargetdateScopeTime

6. YesTodayTargetdatePredicted finishScopeTime

7. NoTodayPredicted finishTargetdateScopeTime

8. Easy …

9. … how do I make one of those?

10. completion of scopeplotted over time

11. ScopeTimecompletion of scopeplotted over time

12. scope = story points*

13. scope = story points**story point = estimation unit

14. scope = story points*time = iterations*story point = estimation unit

15. iteration scope added

16. ScopeTimeiteration scope added

17. iteration scope completed

18. ScopeTimeiteration scope completed

19. ScopeTimeIteration 1

20. ScopeTimeIteration 1Iteration 2

21. ScopeTimePredicted trendIteration 1Iteration 2Iteration 3Iteration 4

22. do cross the beams!

23. ScopeTime

24. ScopeTimeIteration 1Iteration 2Iteration 3Iteration 4

25. hurrah!

26. when lines go bad

27. ScopeTimeTargetdateAhead of target

28. ScopeTimeTargetdateOn target

29. ScopeTimeTargetdateBehind target

30. ScopeTimeTargetdateOn target

31. ScopeTimeOff targetTargetdate

32. ScopeTimeScope trends too!Targetdate

33. ScopeTimeThis project may never end!

34. What to do if the lines don’t meet?

35. have a conversation

36. of course …

37. … how do I get one again?

38. Scope your work in storiesStory: Add a big red button to the homepage

39. Estimate those storiesStory: Add a big red button to the homepageEstimate: 2 points

40. Track when a story is addedStory: Add a big red button to the homepageEstimate: 2 pointsIteration added: 1

41. Track when a story is doneStory: Add a big red button to the homepageEstimate: 2 pointsIteration added: 1Iteration signed off: 3

42. Plot them on a chartStory: Add a big red button to the homepageEstimate: 2 pointsIteration added: 1Iteration signed off: 3

43. ScopeIteration 1Iteration 2Iteration 3Iteration 4Time

44. Mingle can do this too!

45. Don’t forget …

46. ScopeTimeExpect scope to grow …So factor in a schedule buffer in your release plans

47. Agile teams test as they go …If you’re not continuously testing in a production-like environment, expect to spend time testing and stabilizing at the end of the project

48. Capture all requirements as storiesOtherwise your chart won’t be showing you the whole picture

49. Development complete ≠ completeA story doesn’t count as finished until it’s verified to be working in a production-like environment

50. There are still risksContinue to track risks, issues and external dependencies(they’re not going away)

51. Mythical man-monthPredicting the impact on velocity of changes in team size is hard

52. Remember a team has velocity, not an individual

53. Further readinghttp://www.xprogramming.com/xpmag/BigVisibleCharts.htmhttp://alistair.cockburn.us/Earned-value+and+burn+chartshttp://www.agilekiwi.com/agile_charts.htmhttp://studios.thoughtworks.com/mingle-agile-project-management/2.2/help/creating_charts_and_tables_in_wiki_pages.html