Adding tasks to a sprint after it has started - do these get reflected in burndown? Is that a bad thing to do?

[Ben Still]

Here is my scenario: I've added tasks, my team has reviewed and estimated time (we use time rather than points), we've allocated tasks and clicked "start" on the greenhopper sprint. Total time estimate is 100h. A few days in, we've had an influx of tasks that I need to add in, so I create an extra 20h of tasks.

Before I commit to doing this 20h, I need to look at capacity of my team. I switch to "classic" greenhopper to see existing work allocation per team member, and see that one person doesn't have much so OK to proceed. I add the tasks to the sprint.

My questions are:

1. does the burndown get calculated on 100h or 120h? Is it useful to track that the scope has expanded, or is this one of those things that really doesn't matter too much
2. how do you handle an increase in requirements (not personally, but in terms of using jira/greenhopper) - is this a sensible approach, or is it better to be pedantic and start a separate sprint for the 20h
3. is there a better way to look at allocation than switching to classic view? Tools like pivotal seem to make this much easier - it seems a bit naieve to be just throwing estimates in and seeing total time (rather than estimated work vs available resource hours)

thankyou!

[Ben Still · Accepted solution]

No one seems to have an answer, but here are my findings so far

1. Does the burndown get calculated on 100h or 120h?

Burndown guide is just a line- there is no smarts to it. The actual red progress line will jump up to indicate

2. Separate sprint or combined?

I've been finding just add to the main sprint is easier- it is a hassle to maintain lots of smaller sprints for what is essentially a change request/scope change. I've never needed to track that separately

3. looking at allocation

I've created a google spreadsheet which pulls in all the sprints I'm interested in via XML, then I use google query to build a graph which causes grown developers to cry it is so beautiful.

[vkharisma]

Hi Ben,

Maybe its too late to answer your question. Rapid Board has supported scope changes for GH 5.9.7 and above.

Check this release notes.

Thanks Ben.