Velocity is the single most important metric for predictability. It is not about how “fast” you are working (a common misconception); it is about how much work your team can consistently deliver over a set period. In this guide, I will walk you through exactly how to check, configure, and interpret Velocity in Azure DevOps so you can walk into that next planning meeting with confidence.
How To Check Velocity In Azure DevOps
What is Velocity in the Azure Context?
In Azure DevOps, Velocity calculates the total amount of effort (usually Story Points, Effort, or a count of Work Items) for all user stories or backlog items completed within a sprint.
It visualizes two critical data points:
- Planned Work: How much work you committed to when the sprint started.
- Completed Work: How much work was actually moved to the “Closed” or “Done” state by the sprint end date.
The gap between these two bars is where the conversation happens.
Prerequisites
Ensure the following:
- Access Level: You need Basic access or higher. Stakeholder access often restricts viewing certain analytics charts.
- Project Config: Your project must be using the Boards feature actively.
- Sprint Dates: Your Iteration Paths (Sprints) must have Start and End dates defined in Project Settings.
- Work Item States: Your User Stories must actually be moved to a “Completed” state category. If they sit in “Resolved” but your process configuration doesn’t map “Resolved” to “Completed,” the chart will read zero.
Method 1: The Analytics Tab (The Quickest Way)
Microsoft has significantly improved the “in-context” analytics over the last few years. You no longer need to build a complex dashboard just to see your trend.
This is the method I recommend for Scrum Masters who need a quick pulse check during a backlog refinement session.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Navigate to Boards: Log into your Azure DevOps organization and click into your project. On the left-hand sidebar, hover over Boards and select Backlogs.
- Select Your Team: In the top-right corner, ensure you have the correct team selected from the dropdown menu. Velocity is team-specific; viewing the “Project Team” often gives messy data.
- Toggle the Analytics View: Look at the top-right corner of the backlog view. You will see a tab labeled Analytics. Click it.
- Select Velocity: Once the Analytics drawer opens, you will typically see a few charts (like Burnup or Cumulative Flow). Select the card labeled Velocity.
Check out the screenshot below for the complete steps for your reference.
Reading the Analytics Chart
The default view here is interactive.
- The Bars: The blue (or green) portions represent completed work. The transparent or light-colored sections represent planned work that wasn’t finished.
- The Trend Line: ADO will project an “Average Velocity” line across the chart. This is your magic number for capacity planning.
Method 2: The Dashboard Widget (The Executive View)
While the Analytics tab is great for the team, it isn’t great for stakeholders or quarterly reviews. For that, you want a persistent Dashboard. This is the “classic” way to track velocity and allows for much deeper customization.
Step-by-Step Configuration
- Go to Dashboards: On the left sidebar, select Overview > Dashboards.
- Edit Mode: Click the Edit button at the top of the dashboard.
- Add the Widget:
- In the search box on the right labeled “Add Widget,” type Velocity