What is a Burndown Chart?
A burndown chart shows remaining work in a sprint versus time. Learn how to read one and what it tells you about team velocity.
A burndown chart plots the amount of work remaining (vertical axis) against the time left in a sprint (horizontal axis). The ideal line slopes steadily to zero; the actual line shows how the team is really pacing. Burndown charts are scrum's standard way to answer 'will we finish this sprint?'
How to read a burndown chart
The chart has two lines: the ideal burndown (a straight diagonal from total work to zero) and the actual burndown (the team's real remaining work each day). An actual line above the ideal means the team is behind pace; below it means ahead. A flat line means no work is finishing.
Burndown vs burnup
A burnup chart plots work completed over time and is often fairer, because it still trends up even when scope grows. Burndown charts go up when scope is added mid-sprint — which is its own useful signal.
What burndown charts are for
They are a planning aid, not a performance review. The real value is in the conversation: why is the line flat, what is blocked, what can the team unblock this afternoon?
Nimbus
Nimbus is kanban-first, so there is no built-in burndown chart — the board and activity log show flow directly, and teams that want sprint pacing plan in sprints on top of the board.
Frequently asked questions
What does a burndown chart show?
It shows how much work remains in a sprint versus how much time is left, making it obvious whether the team is on pace to finish.
Why is my burndown chart going up?
Scope was added to the sprint, or estimates changed. Either way, the bump is a conversation starter about what counts as 'in the sprint'.
Do kanban teams use burndown charts?
Rarely — kanban is continuous, so there is no sprint boundary to burn down against. Kanban teams watch flow and cycle time instead.
Ship your first sprint today.
Create a workspace and invite the team — the board is live the moment you open it.