Velocity is just vibes.
Velocity promises certainty but measures emotion. A reflection on why productivity metrics say less about delivery and more about the mood of the team.
The charts say progress. The team says tired. Only one of them is real.
The Moment of Inspiration
A team demoed their sprint metrics: story points, burndowns, velocity trending upward.
The dashboard glowed with optimism.
Leadership nodded approvingly.
Then someone quietly asked,
“So… what actually shipped?”