When should I use burndown?

Use burndown during a cycle to spot slippage, stalled work, or scope creep early enough to react.

When should I use velocity?

Use velocity before a cycle to set a realistic commitment based on the team's proven historical capacity.

Commonly confused

Burndown vs Velocity

A burndown chart tracks remaining work within a single cycle, sloping toward zero as items finish — it answers 'are we on pace to finish this cycle?' Velocity is the average work completed per cycle across several cycles — it answers 'how much can we realistically take on next time?' Burndown is an in-cycle progress monitor; velocity is a cross-cycle planning input, and the two are best read together.

Burndown vs Velocity, in short

A burndown chart tracks remaining work within a single cycle, sloping toward zero as items finish — it answers 'are we on pace to finish this cycle?' Velocity is the average work completed per cycle across several cycles — it answers 'how much can we realistically take on next time?' Burndown is an in-cycle progress monitor; velocity is a cross-cycle planning input, and the two are best read together.
When to use burndown: Use burndown during a cycle to spot slippage, stalled work, or scope creep early enough to react.
When to use velocity: Use velocity before a cycle to set a realistic commitment based on the team's proven historical capacity.

Burndown vs Velocity: definitions and when to use each, side by side
Aspect	Burndown	Velocity
Definition	A burndown chart tracks remaining work against time over a cycle, sloping from the total scope down toward zero as items are completed. It shows whether a team is on pace to finish what it committed to, making slippage visible early. The ideal line falls steadily; a flat line warns that work is stalling.	Velocity is the average amount of work a team completes per cycle, measured in issues or story points. By tracking it over several cycles, teams forecast how much they can realistically take on next. Velocity is a planning aid for a specific team over time — never a target to maximize or a way to compare teams against each other.
When to use it	Use burndown during a cycle to spot slippage, stalled work, or scope creep early enough to react.	Use velocity before a cycle to set a realistic commitment based on the team's proven historical capacity.
Full definition	Burndown	Velocity

Burndown vs Velocity, in short

A burndown chart tracks remaining work within a single cycle, sloping toward zero as items finish — it answers 'are we on pace to finish this cycle?' Velocity is the average work completed per cycle across several cycles — it answers 'how much can we realistically take on next time?' Burndown is an in-cycle progress monitor; velocity is a cross-cycle planning input, and the two are best read together.
When to use burndown: Use burndown during a cycle to spot slippage, stalled work, or scope creep early enough to react.
When to use velocity: Use velocity before a cycle to set a realistic commitment based on the team's proven historical capacity.

Burndown vs Velocity: definitions and when to use each, side by side
Aspect	Burndown	Velocity
Definition	A burndown chart tracks remaining work against time over a cycle, sloping from the total scope down toward zero as items are completed. It shows whether a team is on pace to finish what it committed to, making slippage visible early. The ideal line falls steadily; a flat line warns that work is stalling.	Velocity is the average amount of work a team completes per cycle, measured in issues or story points. By tracking it over several cycles, teams forecast how much they can realistically take on next. Velocity is a planning aid for a specific team over time — never a target to maximize or a way to compare teams against each other.
When to use it	Use burndown during a cycle to spot slippage, stalled work, or scope creep early enough to react.	Use velocity before a cycle to set a realistic commitment based on the team's proven historical capacity.
Full definition	Burndown	Velocity

Burndown vs Velocity