Understanding Metrics for Sprint Planning in Scrum
Choosing the right metric for Sprint Planning is crucial to ensure the team can effectively forecast and plan their work for the upcoming Sprint.
Exam Question
Which of these metrics is most valuable for Sprint Planning?
(Choose the best answer)
A. Throughput
B. Cycle time
C. Work Item Age
D. Points Delivered
Correct Answer
A. Throughput
Explanation
Correct Answer
A. Throughput:
Throughput is the most valuable metric for Sprint Planning because it represents the number of work items completed by the team within a specific time frame (often a Sprint). This metric provides insight into the team’s capacity and helps them forecast how much work they can realistically complete in the upcoming Sprint. By using historical throughput data, the team can make more accurate commitments, ensuring that the workload is manageable and aligned with their capacity.
Why Throughput is Key for Sprint Planning
- Capacity Planning: Throughput reflects the team’s actual delivery rate, which is critical for understanding their capacity to handle work in the next Sprint.
- Predictability: By analyzing throughput, the team can predict how much work they are likely to complete, which helps in setting realistic goals and expectations for the Sprint.
- Consistency: Over time, throughput data helps the team identify patterns and trends, enabling them to make more consistent and reliable Sprint forecasts.
Other Metrics Explained
- Cycle Time: While cycle time is important for understanding how long it takes to complete individual work items, it is less useful for forecasting the total amount of work that can be completed in a Sprint. It is more focused on the efficiency of the workflow rather than the volume of work delivered.
- Work Item Age: This metric tracks how long a work item has been in progress, which is useful for monitoring ongoing work but does not help in planning how much work can be completed in a future Sprint.
- Points Delivered: This metric reflects the number of story points completed, which can be useful but may vary in accuracy depending on how consistently points are estimated. Throughput, on the other hand, is a more straightforward and reliable measure of completed work items.
Relevance to the PSK I Exam
Understanding which metrics are most valuable for Sprint Planning is essential for the PSK I exam. It demonstrates knowledge of how to effectively plan and manage work within a Sprint using Kanban and Scrum practices.
Key Takeaways
- Throughput is the most valuable metric for Sprint Planning as it helps teams forecast how much work they can realistically complete in the upcoming Sprint.
- While other metrics like cycle time and work item age are important, they are more focused on specific aspects of workflow rather than overall capacity planning.
- Using historical throughput data allows teams to set realistic goals and maintain a consistent pace of work.
Conclusion
Throughput is the key metric for Sprint Planning in Scrum with Kanban. It provides valuable insights into the team’s capacity, helping them make informed decisions about how much work to take on in the upcoming Sprint. For more information on preparing for the PSK I exam, visit our Professional Kanban PSK I™ Exam Prep.
