Calculating Sprint Capacity from Average Velocity
One question that frequently arises in Scrum projects is how to determine the number of story points developers can commit to during a Sprint, known as “capacity”. In this article, we’ll explore a method that works well and provides accurate estimates in general.
Calculate Capacity from Average Velocity
First, you need to know the velocity of the last few sprints to calculate the Sprint’s capacity.
If you’re unfamiliar with velocity, check out this article: Calculation of velocity in agile
To calculate the approximate capacity of the Sprint, take the average of the last three velocities of your Scrum team:
Why only consider the last three velocities? The velocity of a Scrum team can change over time, and relying on just the latest velocity isn’t sufficient for an accurate prediction of the team’s capacity.
Who Will Use the Capacity?
The Product Owner
The Product Owner can leverage the capacity to prepare upcoming Sprints for the Scrum team. It enables the Product Owner to plan the Sprint backlog and gain insight into future deliveries. However, it’s important to remember that plans can change during subsequent Sprint planning sessions if the team feels it’s impossible to complete all the planned items. Flexibility is inherent in Agile!
The Development Team
The development team will use the calculated capacity during sprint planning to gauge the scope they can commit to during the Sprint. However, if the team feels uncertain about achieving the Sprint goal, they can reevaluate and adjust the capacity downward. The capacity calculated from the last three velocities is not mandatory; it serves as a guiding metric during sprint planning.
The Top Management
In Agile companies, sharing this indicator with top management or middle managers is generally discouraged. The capacity indicator is intended to assist the Scrum team and should remain an internal metric. It should NEVER be shared outside the team. Some companies, though, like to compare such indicators across different teams.
Useful French Link: Laissez vos développeurs choisir leur capacité !
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