What is a release burndown?

A release burndown is specifically a measure of the remaining Product Backlog over the duration of a release plan. It provides teams and stakeholders with a visual representation of work that remains to be completed in order to achieve the goals outlined for that release.

This chart typically shows the total amount of work planned against the time remaining in the release, helping teams to assess whether they are on track to complete all the necessary features by the end of the release period. As work is completed, the remaining effort decreases, visually reflecting the progress toward the release goal.

This insight is crucial for Scrum teams and stakeholders as it aids in understanding delivery timelines, forecasting, and managing expectations throughout the release cycle. It emphasizes the focus on product delivery and helps in adjusting efforts as necessary, based on the velocity of the team and other factors impacting progress.