Burndown Chart

The Sprint burndown shows remaining story points (y-axis) over Sprint days (x-axis). An ideal burndown is a straight diagonal line from total committed points to zero. Actual burndown often zigzags but should trend downward. If the actual line is above the ideal line, the team is behind. If below, they're ahead. Patterns like flat lines (blocked work) or upward spikes (scope added mid-Sprint) provide diagnostic insight. Release burndown charts show remaining work across multiple Sprints, helping forecast the release date. Burnup charts (showing completed work going up) are an alternative that better handles scope changes.