Introduction

Burn down and burn up charts are two types of graphical tools that are used to track the progress of agile projects. They both show how much work has been done and how much work is left to do, but they have different ways of presenting this information. In this article, we will explain what are burn down and burn up charts, how they are created, and what are their advantages and disadvantages.

What are Burn Down Charts?

A burn down chart is a graph that shows how much work remains to be done in a project or a sprint. It has two axes: the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the amount of work. The work can be measured in different units, such as story points, hours, or tasks. A burn down chart typically has two lines: the ideal line and the actual line. The ideal line shows the expected rate of work completion, assuming a constant velocity. The actual line shows the actual amount of work done at any given point in time. The goal of a burn down chart is to have the actual line reach zero by the end of the project or the sprint.

What are Burn Up Charts?

A burn up chart is a graph that shows how much work has been done and how much work is left to do in a project or a sprint. It has two axes: the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the amount of work. The work can be measured in different units, such as story points, hours, or tasks. A burn up chart typically has two lines: the scope line and the progress line. The scope line shows the total amount of work that needs to be done, which may change over time due to scope changes or new requirements. The progress line shows the actual amount of work done at any given point in time. The goal of a burn up chart is to have the progress line reach the scope line by the end of the project or the sprint.

What are the Differences between Burn Down and Burn Up Charts?

Burn down and burn up charts have some similarities and some differences. Here are some of the main ones:

  • Burn down charts show the remaining work, while burn up charts show the completed work and the total work.
  • Burn down charts are simpler and easier to read, while burn up charts are more complex and provide more information.
  • Burn down charts can show the variance between the ideal and the actual work, while burn up charts can show the changes in the scope and the progress.
  • Burn down charts can be misleading if the scope changes or new work is added, while burn up charts can handle scope changes and new work more accurately.
  • Burn down charts are more suitable for short-term and fixed-scope projects, while burn up charts are more suitable for long-term and variable-scope projects.

Examples of Burn Down and Burn Up Charts

To illustrate how burn down and burn up charts work, let us look at some examples. Suppose we have a project that consists of 10 tasks, each worth 10 story points, and we have a sprint of 10 days. The ideal velocity is 10 story points per day. The following charts show the progress of the project after 5 days.

Burn Down Chart Example

The burn down chart below shows that the ideal line starts from 100 story points and decreases by 10 story points per day, reaching zero by the end of the sprint. The actual line starts from 100 story points and shows the amount of work left to do at the end of each day. After 5 days, the actual line is at 60 story points, which means that 40 story points have been completed and 60 story points are remaining. The actual line is above the ideal line, which means that the project is behind schedule.

Burn Up Chart Example

The burn up chart below shows that the ideal line starts from zero story points and increases by 10 story points per day, reaching 100 story points by the end of the sprint. The actual line starts from zero story points and shows the amount of work done at the end of each day. After 5 days, the actual line is at 40 story points, which means that 40 story points have been completed and 60 story points are remaining. The actual line is below the ideal line, which means that the project is behind schedule. The scope line shows the total amount of work planned for the project, which is 100 story points in this case. The gap between the actual line and the scope line indicates the amount of work left to do.

Conclusion

To conclude, we understand that burn down chart is a graph that shows how much work remains to be done in a project or a sprint while a burn up chart is a graph that shows how much work has been done and how much work is left to do in a project or a sprint. So depending on your requirements, either or both the charts can be used to analyze the progress of the project/team during a sprint.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for the purpose of sharing knowledge that I’ve learnt over the years and is not intended to violate copyrights.

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