Committed vs. Completed

Tracking Sprint Progress and Team Performance

Overview
The "Committed vs. Completed" metric is a key indicator of how well a sprint is progressing. It provides insight into the amount of work that was initially committed to at the start of the sprint, the work added after the sprint began, and the work that remains incomplete or completed during the sprint. By analyzing this metric, teams can understand whether they are over-committing or under-committing and adjust their planning to improve future sprints.

Description

• Committed: Refers to the planned or estimated amount of work (tasks, story points, or hours) that a team or individual has committed to completing within a specific timeframe, such as a sprint. It reflects the initial plan or agreement about what should be accomplished based on the project requirements, scope, and available resources.

• Completed: Refers to the actual work or tasks that have been finished within the same timeframe. It represents the deliverables that have been fully achieved and marked as "done" according to the agreed-upon scope and timeframe.

This comparison helps identify areas where the team might need to adjust their expectations, planning, or execution.

How is the Committed vs. Completed Metric Calculated?

• Committed:
  The committed value is based on the initial plan for the sprint. It is typically derived from estimating the scope of work (tasks, story points, or hours) needed to achieve the sprint goals. This estimation is usually based on:

  • Project requirements

  • Available team capacity

  • Historical velocity (if applicable)

• Completed:
  The completed value is tracked as work is finished during the sprint. It includes all tasks or deliverables that were marked as "done" according to the team’s definition of done (DoD). The completed value is updated continuously based on:

  • Tasks marked as "completed"

  • Updates in the project management tool (e.g., JIRA)

  • Any deliverables or outcomes that have been fully achieved during the sprint

Questions You Can Answer from This Data

The Committed vs. Completed metric provides valuable insights into the team's performance and sprint progress. Some key questions it helps answer include:

• Are we on track to meet our commitments for this sprint?

• Are there discrepancies between the committed and completed values?

• How well is the team performing in terms of completing the planned work?

• What factors contributed to our team's ability (or inability) to meet commitments?

• How can we improve our commitment accuracy and increase our completion rate in future sprints?

Key Takeaways from Committed vs. Completed Data

1. Communication and Transparency
   The Committed vs. Completed metric provides a clear and visual representation of the team's progress, which is crucial for maintaining transparency with stakeholders.

• This data ensures that everyone—team members, project managers, and stakeholders—has a shared understanding of what has been accomplished and what remains to be done.

• Sharing this information fosters open communication and helps set realistic expectations about the project’s status.
  
  

2. Learning and Process Improvement
   Analyzing the difference between committed and completed values is a powerful tool for continuous improvement.

• Successful Completion: Identifying the factors that led to successful task completion helps replicate best practices in future sprints.

• Areas for Improvement: If the team is consistently falling short of completing work, this data can highlight areas for process refinement, better resource allocation, or clearer task definition.

• This continuous feedback loop supports an agile mindset and helps the team refine their project management and execution strategies.
  
  

3. Performance Evaluation
   The metric allows teams to evaluate their ability to meet commitments and deliver on planned work.

• Under-committing: If the team consistently completes more than what was committed, this could indicate that they are underestimating their capacity, which may lead to missed opportunities for delivering more value.

• Over-committing: If the team frequently falls short of completing committed work, it may suggest over-commitment or unrealistic expectations during sprint planning.

• This evaluation helps identify areas where adjustments can be made in future planning cycles, such as adjusting the scope of work or improving time estimation practices.
  
  

4. Progress Assessment
   The Committed vs. Completed data provides a straightforward way to assess the overall progress of the sprint.

• By comparing the initial commitments to what has been completed, teams can gauge how much work has been accomplished relative to the planned goals.

• This comparison gives teams insight into whether the sprint is progressing as expected and helps them take corrective action if necessary.

Conclusion

The Committed vs. Completed metric is essential for assessing sprint progress and team performance. By regularly reviewing this data, teams can improve their planning accuracy, make data-driven decisions, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. It not only helps in evaluating past performance but also in forecasting future sprint outcomes, ensuring that the team stays on track to meet project goals and deliver high-quality results.