How to Calculate Sprint Velocity Step by Step

Calculating Sprint Velocity

There are several ways to calculate velocity. The right choice depends on your team's history and how predictable your sprints are.

Method 1: Simple Average

The most common approach. Sum all completed points and divide by the number of sprints.

Sprints:   30, 28, 32, 26, 34
Sum:       150
Count:     5
Average:   150 / 5 = 30 points/sprint

Method 2: Median Velocity

If your data has outliers (e.g., one sprint was disrupted by a production incident), the median is more robust.

Sorted:    26, 28, 30, 32, 34
Median:    30 (middle value)

Method 3: Weighted Average (Recent Sprints)

Some teams weight recent sprints more heavily because the team's current composition and skills matter more than six months ago.

Weights:   Sprint 5 (x3), Sprint 4 (x2), Sprint 3 (x1)
Points:    34 x 3 = 102,  26 x 2 = 52,  32 x 1 = 32
Weighted:  (102 + 52 + 32) / (3 + 2 + 1) = 186 / 6 = 31 points

Which to Use?

• New teams (<5 sprints): Use simple average.
• Stable teams (>8 sprints): Median often works best.
• Teams with recent roster changes: Weighted average.

Practical Tip

Always round velocity down for planning. If your average is 31.4, plan for 31. This creates a natural buffer and builds trust with stakeholders.