Burnup Chart
A Burnup Chart measures cumulative work completed over time against the total scope of work. It provides visibility into how much progress a team has made while also showing whether the overall scope is stable, increasing, or decreasing.
Calculation
Burnup is typically visualized with two lines:
- A work completed line that shows cumulative effort finished over time
- A total scope line that shows how much work is expected in total
This visual comparison helps teams track progress without losing sight of scope changes.
While not formula-driven, the metric reflects:
burnup = cumulative work completed vs. total work planned
Goals
A Burnup Chart helps teams track delivery in environments where scope may evolve. It answers questions like:
- Are we making steady progress toward the release goal?
- Is the total scope increasing, decreasing, or remaining constant?
- How much additional work was added mid-sprint or mid-project?
Burnup Charts offer a more flexible view than Burndown Charts by allowing scope changes to remain visible, rather than compressing them into a flat or misleading trend.
Variations
Burnup Charts are sometimes referred to as Progress vs. Scope Charts, Cumulative Completion Charts, or Release Burnups. Common variations include:
- By unit of measure, such as story points vs. ticket count
- By time scale, like daily vs. weekly tracking
- By delivery phase, such as dev complete vs. release complete
- By project, epic, or sprint, depending on planning level
- By team or function, to compare contribution trends
Some teams also overlay milestone markers or quality gates to show feature readiness or testing phases on the chart.
Limitations
A Burnup Chart shows progress and scope. A steep increase in completed work may hide uneven team workloads. Likewise, it doesn’t explain why work is stalling or scope is changing.
It also depends on clear ticket status updates and reliable estimation. Without timely updates, the chart can become stale or misleading.
To make burnup more actionable, pair it with:
| Complementary Metric | Why It’s Relevant |
|---|---|
| Sprint Scope Creep | Shows how added work during sprints influences the shape of the total scope line |
| Time Spent on Estimate Misses | Reveals whether incorrect sizing is impacting delivery velocity |
| Sprint Rollover Rate | Highlights how much committed work is not completed and carried over between cycles |
Optimization
Improving a Burnup Chart as a planning and communication tool involves clear scope boundaries, accurate status tracking, and steady delivery momentum.
-
Refine and freeze scope before delivery. Establish baselines so any scope change is intentional and visible.
-
Update ticket status consistently. Ensure completed work is reflected on the chart as soon as it meets the team’s Definition of Done.
-
Keep scope visible. Use the total scope line to track unexpected growth or reduction in work.
-
Discuss trends during reviews. Use burnup charts in sprint reviews or release check-ins to align stakeholders on delivery progress.
-
Use together with Burndown Charts. Burndown is great for sprint focus, burnup is stronger for long-term progress visibility.
Burnup Charts highlight both movement and margin. When used effectively, they clarify progress, reveal shifting goals, and keep teams focused on finishing what matters most.
