Velocity

In Agile, the amount of work a team completes per sprint, usually measured in story points. Used to forecast how much fits in future sprints.

When you'd see it: Sprint planning and forecasting. 'Our velocity is 30 points' means the team usually finishes about 30 points of work per sprint.

Why it matters: Velocity helps a team forecast realistically from its own track record. It breaks the moment it is used to compare teams or as a productivity target, because points are not comparable across teams.

Common mistakes: Using velocity as a performance metric. The instant it becomes a target, teams inflate estimates and the number stops meaning anything.

Related Sprint, Scrum, Burndown Chart