Using metrics to track agile team performance can be an important tool to reinforce the need for continuous improvement. Metrics can serve as valuable input during retrospectives, the daily standup, and sprint planning allowing teams to continuously adapt their practices and performance based on the observed patterns the metrics reveal. In our experience, many new agile leads and teams are not sure which agile metrics would be the best metrics to begin using. Some teams may be tracking various data points, but lack the skill and understanding of what the metrics are actually revealing and how the teams can use this information to self-improve.

Our presentation/workshop introduces four "light-weight" agile metrics any team can easily adopt and begin using immediately. They are: Velocity, Comitted vs. Done, Sprint Build-up (Burn-up), & Cycle Time.

We introduce each of these metrics and explain what each one measures, how to obtain the data, and when it should be updated. But most importantly, our presentation provides a workshop component where we provide sample scenarios for each metric. These scenarios represent possible real-life data patterns teams could experience. In the workshop, we ask the audience to work in small groups to consider what each scenario may be representing and what they would do, in the spirit of continuous improvement, to respond to these patterns. We also discuss with the audience how to use the metrics in tandem to help provide a more robust interpretation of team performance.

We realize there are many agile metrics teams can adopt. However, for teams just starting out we recommend these easy to use yet powerful metrics to help teams monitor and assess team performance.