HKSM

A simple, time-series chart used in Agile iterations to show remaining work versus time. It helps teams and stakeholders see daily progress and forecast whether the iteration goal will be met.

Definition

See the short definition above. The sections below expand on usage and practical details.

Key Points

• Shows remaining work per day during an iteration, typically in story points or hours.
• Starts at the total committed work and trends toward zero by the iteration end date.
• Updated daily and transparently reflects scope changes by adjusting the total remaining work.
• Supports inspect-and-adapt by making risks, blockers, and trends visible early.
• Used for team-level forecasting, not for comparing teams or judging individual performance.
• Often includes an optional ideal trend line for quick visual comparison.

Purpose

• Provide a fast, shared view of whether the team is on track to meet the iteration goal.
• Expose impediments and bottlenecks early so the team can adjust.
• Enable realistic forecasting and scope discussions with stakeholders.
• Reinforce focus on finishing work that meets the definition of done.

Minimum Complete Fields

• Iteration name and calendar dates.
• Unit of measure (story points or hours) and starting total scope.
• Daily remaining work values (one data point per working day).
• Visible annotations for scope added or removed.
• Optional ideal line from starting total to zero.
• Update cadence (e.g., after daily standup) and update owner.

How to Create

• Choose a unit (story points recommended for Scrum; hours if your team uses task hours).
• Sum the estimates of the selected iteration backlog to get the starting total.
• Set up axes: X-axis as iteration days, Y-axis as remaining work.
• Optionally draw an ideal trend line from the starting total to zero on the last day.
• Establish a daily update routine, ideally right after the standup.
• Define how to record scope changes so the chart stays accurate and transparent.

How to Use

• Update remaining work daily based on what is actually done per the definition of done.
• Compare the actual trend with the ideal line to spot risks early.
• Discuss flat or rising periods to uncover blockers, dependencies, or underestimation.
• Adjust plan as needed: swarm on blocked items, split work, or renegotiate lower-priority scope.
• Annotate any scope changes to keep the narrative clear for stakeholders.
• Avoid using the chart to pressure individuals; focus on team outcomes and system improvements.

Example

A 2-week iteration starts with 50 story points. The team updates daily remaining points after standup:

• Day 1: 50; Day 2: 45; Day 3: 44; Day 4: 40; Day 5: 38.
• Day 6: Scope added +5 points (remaining becomes 41); Day 7: 35; Day 8: 25; Day 9: 12; Day 10: 0.

The mid-iteration scope increase is annotated. Despite the change, the downward trend after Day 6 shows the team recovered and met the iteration goal.

Agile Tips

• Only burn down completed work that meets the definition of done.
• Keep the chart highly visible to the team and stakeholders.
• Have the team, not a manager, own daily updates.
• Be consistent in estimation units across the iteration.
• If scope churn is frequent, consider also using a burnup chart to show total scope changes.
• Do not compare burndowns across teams; context and estimation scales differ.

PMP Example Question

Mid-iteration, your burndown chart is flat for three days and the remaining work has not decreased. What should the Scrum Master do first?

1. Ask team members to work overtime to catch up.
2. Extend the iteration by a few days to finish the scope.
3. Facilitate identifying impediments and remove blockers with the team.
4. Re-estimate all backlog items to lower the total remaining work.

Correct Answer: C — Facilitate identifying impediments and remove blockers with the team.

Explanation: A flat burndown signals impediments. The appropriate response is to inspect, surface blockers, and enable the team to adapt, not to extend timeboxes or apply pressure.