What is Velocity?
Velocity can change based on a number of different factors such as team size, availability, and introduction of new members. Capacity refers to the availability of team members throughout a given sprint. If team members are unable to work due to holidays, vacation, or some other time off work, they cannot contribute to the work of the team. Because of this deficit, the team cannot expect to satisfy their full normal velocity.
Similarly, the process of onboarding new members can reduce the velocity of a team. Because existing team members must spend time training new members, they cannot spend as much time working on stories. Eventually, the velocity should increase as new team members become more autonomous and existing team members return to working on stories.
A team’s velocity is an estimate that is used to help teams plan. There are several different ways to calculate this estimate based on the circumstance of the project and the specific team.
Recommended Further Reading
The following materials may assist you in order to get the most out of this course: