Burndown Chart
A chart that displays how much work remains against the time left in a timebox, typically updated daily.
Key Points
- Plots remaining work (e.g., story points, tasks, hours) against days in the iteration.
- Helps assess if the team is on track to finish by the end of the timebox.
- Often includes an ideal trend line; the actual line may rise if scope is added.
- Updated frequently to promote transparency and guide forecasting and decisions.
Example
A Scrum team plans 120 story points for a 10-day sprint. Each day, they update the burndown chart with the remaining points. Mid-sprint, 10 points are added, and the actual line bumps up, signaling increased scope. The team replans to ensure the most valuable work still finishes by day 10.
PMP Example Question
Which artifact primarily shows the amount of work remaining over time within a sprint or timebox?
- Burnup chart
- Burndown chart
- Cumulative flow diagram
- Gantt chart
Correct Answer: B — Burndown chart
Explanation: A burndown chart tracks remaining work versus time in a timebox, enabling quick assessment of progress toward completion.
