Struggling to measure sprint performance in Jira? Use velocity chart with target line KPIs to gain c

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Agile teams track metrics like velocity and say-do ratio to understand how their sprints are going, but raw numbers alone often fall short. Without context or visibility, it's hard to know when your team is thriving… or when delivery is starting to slip.

That’s where visual cues come in. Functionality like target lines on our Agile Velocity Chart Gadget offers instant feedback: Is your team on track, behind, or ahead? These signals help teams spot issues early, adjust course mid-sprint, and stay aligned on goals, without digging through data.

Let’s explore how to use these visual indicators to turn sprint metrics into meaningful insights.

Sprint performance monitoring with target lines

Target lines are a staple in sprint charts - they quickly show whether your team is on track. But to truly unlock their potential, it’s worth taking a closer look at the target line type and setup.

Does native Jira support target lines?

Not really.

In native Jira, there are no configurable target lines available in standard reports like Velocity Chart or the Sprint report.

• The Velocity Chart shows initial commitment and how much work was completed in past sprints compared to the team’s average, but doesn’t include any visual way to set sprint goals or performance KPIs.

• The Sprint Report shows the work completed or pushed back to the backlog in each sprint, but it doesn’t include any visual metrics or benchmarks to assess sprint quality or progress trends.

So, there’s no option to add fixed or moving target lines without using Marketplace apps.

If your team needs custom visual cues (like flat or relative target lines), you’ll need to look into Marketplace tools, such as the Agile Velocity Chart Gadget.

Choosing the right target line in the Jira sprint performance chart

Not all target lines are created equal. The type you choose can shape how your team interprets performance trends and adapts to change. Here’s a quick breakdown of the two most common types:

1. Flat (Absolute) lines: Provide a consistent benchmark, ideal for maintaining stability over time. Think of them as your trusty baseline. They’re great for long-term goals where consistency is key, giving you a fixed point of reference against which to measure.

✅ Use absolute lines when:

• Your team follows stable sprint goals.

• You want to track against a fixed KPI (e.g., always aiming for 50 story points).

• You’re managing long-term initiatives that prioritize consistency over flexibility.

2. Moving (Relative) lines: These adjust based on your goals for each sprint, perfect for when project needs are constantly evolving. They allow you to set targets that move with your team’s commitment, Initial or Final, ensuring that benchmarks remain relevant even as circumstances change.

🔁 Use relative lines when:

• You want to track progress based on a target say-do ratio (e.g., 90% of committed work delivered).

• Your backlog is dynamic, and scope changes often.

• You want to base expectations on actual team commitment each sprint.

• Your team works in environments that demand adaptability (e.g., Kanban or evolving Scrum setups).

Quick tips on configuring target lines on the Velocity chart

🙌 Establish clear thresholds for what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable performance. Target lines act as these thresholds, helping teams quickly assess performance as good, bad, or needing improvement.

🚦 Use visual indicators, like RAG (Red, Amber, Green) colors, to make performance easily understandable.

🧭 Set absolute target lines to maintain consistent benchmarks over time. Perfect for long-term goals and tracking steady performance.

📈 Apply relative (moving) target lines when you want to measure and improve your say-do ratio - how much your team delivers compared to what was committed. These lines adjust based on each sprint’s actual commitment, helping teams stay realistic and accountable.

How to set healthy KPIs with target lines

🚀 If your team consistently hits around 20 story points, set it as a healthy benchmark. When a sprint deviates from this line, use it as a conversation starter in your retrospective.

🔄 A 10% total scope change might be your norm, indicating that the team adapts to changing requirements. If so, use it as a health metric.

📊 If your team finally decreased average rollover to 15%, you can consider it a health indicator and monitor further.

🎯 If your Say/Do ratio (Initial Commitment/Completed Work(Initial) is normally around 85% and you hit key goals, this can be your health benchmark. Use a moving target for tracking.

📝 If you defined that your Initial or Final Commitment is 50 %+ user stories, and the other 50% of your sprint scope you fill with tasks, bugs etc., set it as a goal and check up on it during sprint planning to ensure you’re following this team rule. Inspect it further with breakdowns and highlights.

Applying target lines to your Sprint performance reports

In the Agile Velocity Chart Gadget, you can easily put target lines on the velocity chart. The configuration is easy and straightforward.

By placing these charts side by side on the Jira dashboard, you can visualize data on different levels.

Ready to level up your Sprint performance insights?

If you want more than just raw numbers - visual cues, smart benchmarks, and breakdowns that explain your sprint performance - it’s time to explore tools that go beyond Jira's native reports.

Both the Agile Velocity Chart Gadget are ready for you to explore with a 30-day trial - why not give them a try to gain a deeper insight into your sprints?