๐PM in Napkins: Burn up, Burn down Charts
Tracking project progress visually
Youโve got PM questions. I have quick and easy answers!
I'm excited to share my latest project with you - ๐ฃ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐!๐
Welcome to ๐ฃ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐!
๐ค I've been asked to explain many concepts in PM in my career. I'm not here to deliver any lectures, or courses to explain them.
Just a simple napkin...
Yes, you read that right. It's all about breaking down complex Product Management concepts into simple, digestible visuals... on napkins! ๐๏ธ
I'm trying to harness the power of visual learning to make complex PM concepts easy to understand and remember.
๐ฅ For our grand debut, we're kicking things off with none other than the ever-so-confusing ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป-๐๐ฝ/๐๐๐ฟ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐! ๐ฅ
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the tracking and progress charts?
Well, these charts are your new best friends.
So, what are these?
Burn-up and Burn-down charts visually track a project's progress, highlighting how much work is done and spotting any shifts from the plan.
Theyโre effective because they provide:
Clarity: instant visual summary of project health.
Communication: easy for teams and stakeholders to understand
Decision Making: quickly see if adjustments are needed
Ok, letโs break the difference between them
๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป-๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ > ๐๏ธโก๏ธ๐
Imagine you're climbing down a mountain (your project tasks), and with each step (completed task), you're getting closer to the ground (project completion). This chart shows exactly how much of the mountain you've conquered and how much is left.
Key info to get from Burn-up charts:
Starts with total work, then slopes up as tasks are completed.
The goal is for the two lines to meet, decreasing the area in between
Visual Coe: Two lines, one steadily rising, one might jump up as scope increases.
In rare cases, a decline in the โscope of workโ line could signal reduce in scope from what was planned by moving down, prompting asking questions and understanding why
On the other hand, a decline in the โscope of workโ line would signal scope creep (increase) prompting a reassessment of project goals.
๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป-๐๐ฝ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๏ธโก๏ธ๐ฐ
On the flip side, burn-up charts are is like building your tower (project progress). Each brick (task) you add shows how tall your tower is becoming (work completed), against the sky limit (your project goals). It not only shows progress but also adjusts for any changes in your project's scope.
Key info to get from Burn-up charts:
Starts with total work, then slopes down to zero as tasks are completed.
The goal is to hit zero by the project's end, indicating successful completion
Visual Cue: Two lines, one steadily declines, one remains constant.
Deviations may indicate unexpected hurdles, urging a closer look at task dependencies.
Above-the-line alerts โbehind scheduleโ. Above the line, โThings are okโ
Thatโs a wrapโฆ I hope you enjoyed it๐
Hereโs the full napkin:
Oh... why napkins, you ask? ๐ค
Because great ideas start with simple sketches. And what's simpler than a napkin doodle? ๐๏ธ
Stay tuned for more PM concepts simplified on napkins.
๐ I'd love your support - like, share, and comment on your thoughts or concepts you'd like to see in this format.
Let's learn and grow together in the most fun way possible!