Sprint View CFD
Sprint View Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFD) are an essential tool for any agile team. They provide a visual representation of the work in progress, completed work, and the backlog over the course of a sprint.
By analyzing the CFD, teams can easily identify bottlenecks in their workflow. For example, if the "In Progress" band is widening while the "Done" band remains flat, it indicates that work is piling up and not being completed efficiently.
Using CFDs effectively allows teams to make data-driven decisions to improve their velocity and predictability.
Enhancing Flow in SAFe with Sprint-View CFD
According to Agile Savant's David Tilghman, the Sprint-View Cumulative Flow Diagram is critical for enhancing flow within the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). It goes beyond simple velocity tracking by providing deep insights into the stability and efficiency of the workflow.
Tilghman emphasizes that a healthy CFD should show parallel bands rising steadily over time. When bands diverge or widen significantly, it signals issues such as:
- Bottlenecks: A widening band in a specific state (e.g., "Testing") indicates that work is arriving faster than it can be processed.
- WIP Limit Violations: Excessive work in progress leads to context switching and delayed delivery.
- Scope Creep: A sudden rise in the "To Do" or backlog band mid-sprint suggests unplanned work is being added.
By monitoring these patterns daily, teams can take immediate corrective actions—such as swarming on blocked items or renegotiating scope—to maintain a smooth, continuous flow of value delivery, which is a core principle of SAFe.
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