A burn chart is a way to see how a project or set of jobs is coming along over time. It is usually used in agile project management to keep track of how a project is going and to help find problems or delays that might happen.
Usually, a burn chart is a line graph that shows how much work still needs to be done over time. The x-axis shows time, and the y-axis shows how much work is still to be done. At the beginning of the project, the chart shows the total amount of work that needs to be done. As the project goes on, the line graph shows how much work has been done and how much is still left to do.
There are many kinds of burn plans that can be used, such as:
Burn-up chart: This chart shows how much work has been done over time and how much work is still to be done.
Burn-down chart: This chart shows how much work is still to be done and how much work has already been done.
Release burn-up chart: This chart shows how a project or release is going over time, including how much work has been done and how much is left to do.
Burn charts are helpful for project managers and team members because they make it easy to see how far along a project is and where problems or delays might be coming from. They can also be used to let partners know about the state of a project and to help manage their expectations about timelines and results.
Key Points
– A burn chart is a graphical depiction that shows the progress of project work over time.
– It compares the amount of work completed (usually measured in tasks or units) to the time required to finish the project.
– The chart frequently shows two lines: one reflecting actual work performed and another indicating projected progress or ideal speed.
– It assists project managers and teams in determining if they are on track or falling behind schedule.
– If the actual work line is lower than the planned line, the project may be behind schedule.
– If the actual work line is higher than the planned line, the team is ahead of schedule.
– It is often used in agile or iterative project management approaches to visualize and manage project progress.
