How To Create a Burndown And Burn Up Charts in JIRA

Burndown and burn up charts are popular tools for tracking the progress of software development projects. These charts provide a visual representation of the work completed and the work remaining. In JIRA, you can easily create both burndown and burn up charts to track the progress of your project.

Burndown Chart

A burndown chart is a graphical representation of the work remaining in a sprint. It shows how much work is left to be done and how quickly it can be completed. The Y-axis shows the remaining work, while the X-axis shows the time.

Picture courtesy of Atlassian

To create a burndown chart in JIRA, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your project in JIRA.
2. Click on the “Reports” button in the left-hand navigation.
3. Select “Burndown Chart” from the list of available reports.
4. Select the sprint you want to track from the dropdown menu.
5. Click “Generate.”

JIRA will generate a burndown chart for the selected sprint. You can customize the chart by adding filters, such as the type of issue or the assignee. You can also view the chart in different formats, such as a cumulative flow diagram.

Burn up Chart

A burn up chart is a graphical representation of the work completed in a sprint. It shows how much work has been done and how much work is left to be done. The Y-axis shows the work completed, while the X-axis shows the time.

Picture courtesy of Atlassian

To create a burn up chart in JIRA, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to your project in JIRA.
2. Click on the “Reports” button in the left-hand navigation.
3. Select “Burnup Chart” from the list of available reports.
4. Select the sprint you want to track from the dropdown menu.
5. Click “Generate.”

JIRA will generate a burn up chart for the selected sprint. You can customize the chart by adding filters, such as the type of issue or the assignee. You can also view the chart in different formats, such as a cumulative flow diagram.

Tips for Using Burndown and Burn up Charts

Burndown and burn up charts can be useful tools for tracking the progress of your software development project. Here are a few tips for using these charts effectively:

1. Update the chart regularly: To get an accurate picture of the progress of your project, you should update the chart regularly. This will ensure that the chart reflects the most up-to-date information about the project.
2. Identify potential issues: If the burndown or burn up chart shows that the project is falling behind schedule, you should investigate the cause of the delay. This will help you identify potential issues and take corrective action to keep the project on track.
3. Use the charts for communication: Burndown and burn up charts can be useful communication tools. You can use them to update stakeholders on the progress of the project and to highlight any potential issues that need to be addressed.
4. Customize the charts: JIRA allows you to customize the burndown and burn up charts to suit your specific needs. You can add filters, change the time frame, or view the charts in different formats. Experiment with different settings to find the configuration that works best for your project.

In JIRA, creating burndown and burn up charts is a straightforward process. These charts can be useful tools for tracking the progress of your software development project and communicating with stakeholders. By following the tips outlined above, you can get the most out of these charts and keep your project on track.