Agile Charts: Read Progress at a Glance
Charts are for transparency and forecasting, not punitive accountability.
- Burndown — Remaining work falling toward zero
- Burnup — Completed work rising
- Scope line — The total targeted work
Agile charts show progress visually. The burndown chart plots remaining work over time falling toward zero, revealing whether the team is on track. The burnup chart plots completed work rising toward a scope line, and also shows scope change if it occurs. Both are tools for transparency and forecasting, not punitive control. The time axis reads left to right to preserve the correct slope direction.
Using the charts for punitive accountability. Their purpose is transparency, forecasting, and revealing impediments early.
Burndown falls toward zero, burnup rises toward scope.
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Agile charts give a quick visual picture of work status that replaces long reports. The burndown chart shows the amount of remaining work over time, and its slope toward zero indicates whether the team will finish on time, so a flattening decline is an early warning. The burnup chart separates two lines: completed work rising, and the total scope line; its advantage is revealing scope creep when the scope line rises, which the burndown hides. Both charts serve transparency, forecasting, and opening discussion about impediments, not individual accountability. The time axis is drawn left to right even in Arabic display to keep the slope direction correct.
Frequently asked questions
What is a burndown chart?
A chart showing remaining work over time falling toward zero.
What is a burnup chart?
A chart showing completed work rising toward the total scope line.
What is the burnup advantage over the burndown?
It reveals scope creep when the scope line rises, which the burndown hides.
What is the purpose of these charts?
Transparency, forecasting, and revealing impediments early, not punitive accountability.
Why does the time axis read left to right?
To preserve the correct slope direction even in Arabic display.