Is it possible to reset estimation/velocity when there is a major team change?

[Tracy Stimac]

Is it possible to reset estimation/velocity when there is a major team change?  Would disabling board estimation and then enabling it reset the velocity calculation?  We have just restructured our team and the size of the team is significantly smaller than it was.  The velocity of the larger team is still being used in reports when in reality the velocity of the new team needs to be re-established over the next few sprints and will be significantly different than the prior sprint velocities.  

Is there a Jira best practice for managing velocity following major team changes?

[Bill Sheboy · Accepted solution]

Hi @Tracy Stimac 

You noted: Is it possible to reset estimation/velocity when there is a major team change?

How would you envision that working?

Jira tracking of velocity is based on what happened for a specific Scrum board for specific sprints.  That is historical data.  Changing the history would not necessarily reflect what the new team can accomplish.

In addition to the idea from @Dave Mathijs (i.e., do nothing and let the new velocity emerge), you could speed things along by breaking the connection to the past: make a new Scrum board, as this would reset the reporting history of velocity, and when there is enough data the Version Report will start working again.

In the interim, the team could use their forecasts of velocity or throughput, and other means (e.g., manual, spreadsheet, etc.), to forecast the duration of work for the new release.

Kind regards,
Bill

[Tracy Stimac]

Thanks Bill!  I had only been thinking about how to change it with the current board settings.  You are right, starting a new board would do it.

[Dave Mathijs · Accepted solution]

Hi @Tracy Stimac 

Personally, I would just start where you are and keep an eye on the burndown/burnup chart and sprint report from now onwards in order to re-evaluate what amount of work the new team can commit to.

The velocity (chart) will level out after a few sprints.

[Tracy Stimac]

The team is working towards a new release/version and with only a few sprints the Velocity chart and more specifically the Version Report can't be accurate because it is using the higher velocity of the original team.  It's reflecting the team is under committing and projecting early completion based on that higher velocity.  The Version will be completed before the velocity fully stabilizes.  Looking for a way to be able to use the Version report, but I realize that resetting then shifts the other way, reflecting it may take longer to complete the version as the velocity builds.  No perfect solution.