Scrum guide · Artifacts and practices
Scrum Metrics and KPIs: What to Track
Good Scrum metrics help the team inspect and adapt. They focus on outcomes and trends, and they are discussed by the team rather than used to judge it.
Key takeaways
- Track goals, delivery, flow, quality, value and team health.
- Focus on outcomes and trends.
- Metrics are for the team's learning, not for ranking.
Recommended metrics
| Category | Metric | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | Sprint Goal success rate | Are we delivering what we intend? |
| Delivery | Velocity, Sprint burndown, release burnup | Planning and forecasting |
| Flow | Cycle time, WIP | Speed and predictability |
| Quality | Escaped defects, Definition of Done adherence, technical debt | Sustainable quality |
| Value | Customer satisfaction, usage, business outcomes | Are we building the right thing? |
| Team | Happiness or engagement, retrospective actions completed | Sustainable pace |
Evidence-Based Management
Scrum.org's Evidence-Based Management framework suggests measuring four key value areas: current value, unrealised value, ability to innovate and time to market. It helps organisations focus on value rather than output.
Pitfalls
- Using metrics to compare or rank teams.
- Tracking many metrics nobody acts on.
- Optimising one metric at the expense of others, such as speed over quality.
- Measuring activity, such as hours or tickets closed, instead of outcomes.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best Scrum KPI?
Sprint Goal success combined with a value metric, such as customer satisfaction, is often more meaningful than velocity alone.
Who should review Scrum metrics?
The Scrum Team, typically in Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives.
Which Scrum metrics does the Scrum Guide require?
None. The Scrum Guide mentions that various practices exist to forecast progress, such as burndowns, burnups and cumulative flows, but does not mandate any metric.
Is a Sprint burndown chart a useful Scrum metric?
Yes. It shows remaining work in the Sprint over time, which helps the Developers see whether they are on track to meet the Sprint Goal.
What does a release burnup chart add to Scrum metrics?
It shows completed work rising over time against a total scope line. This makes scope changes visible and supports release forecasts.
How is Sprint Goal success rate used as a Scrum metric?
It is the percentage of Sprints in which the team met its Sprint Goal, showing whether the team delivers what it intends.
Why are escaped defects an important Scrum metric?
Escaped defects are defects found after an item was considered done, often by users in production. A rising count suggests the Definition of Done needs strengthening.
How does Evidence-Based Management approach Scrum metrics?
Evidence-Based Management is a framework from Scrum.org for measuring value through four key value areas: current value, unrealised value, ability to innovate and time to market.
Can flow metrics be used as Scrum metrics?
Yes. Cycle time, throughput, WIP and work item age work well alongside Scrum. See Kanban metrics.
How many Scrum metrics should a team track?
A handful the team actually uses to make decisions, typically covering delivery, quality, value and team health.
Should Scrum metrics be used for performance reviews?
Generally no. Using team metrics to judge individuals encourages gaming and undermines transparency, which damages empiricism.