Burn Charts: Burndown, Burnup, and Combined Charts
PMBOK v8 Definition
Burn charts are visual tools used to track work progress over time. A Burndown Chart shows how much work is yet to be completed. A Burnup Chart shows how much work has been completed. A Combined Burn Chart shows how much work has been completed and how much remains. These charts are used in agile and adaptive project environments to monitor progress against the planned work.
Why It Matters for the Exam
Burn charts appear frequently on the PMI exam in questions about monitoring and controlling project work, particularly in agile or hybrid contexts. You will encounter them in situational questions asking which chart to use for a specific reporting need, and in definition-based questions testing your ability to distinguish between burndown, burnup, and combined charts.
Key Points to Remember (for the exam)
- Burndown Chart: Shows remaining work (work yet to be completed) over time. The line trends downward as work is completed.
- Burnup Chart: Shows completed work over time. The line trends upward as work accumulates.
- Combined Burn Chart: Shows both completed work AND remaining work on the same visual. Provides the most complete picture.
- Common Confusion: Burndown focuses on what's left; burnup focuses on what's done. The combined chart gives both perspectives simultaneously.
- Primary Use: These charts are used during the Monitoring and Controlling Process Group to track progress against the plan.
- Key Metric: The vertical axis typically represents work units (story points, hours, tasks), while the horizontal axis represents time (sprints, days, iterations).
- Exam Tip: When a question asks which chart shows "remaining work," the answer is burndown. When it asks which shows "completed work," the answer is burnup.
Typical PMI Exam Example
A project manager is reporting progress to stakeholders during a sprint review. The stakeholders want to see both how much work has been completed so far and how much work remains to be done. Which chart should the project manager use?
Answer: The Combined Burn Chart, because it simultaneously shows completed work and remaining work on a single visual.
PMI Exam Traps
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Trap: Confusing burndown and burnup charts based on direction of the line
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Reality: Burndown lines go DOWN (work remaining decreases); burnup lines go UP (completed work increases)
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Trap: Thinking burndown and burnup charts show the same information
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Reality: Burndown shows what's left; burnup shows what's done. They are complementary but not identical
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Trap: Assuming burn charts are only for agile projects
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Reality: While common in agile, burn charts can be used in any project to track progress over time
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Trap: Confusing burn charts with other tracking tools like Gantt charts or cumulative flow diagrams
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Reality: Burn charts specifically track work completion over time, not dependencies or task sequencing
Important PMI Connections
| Related Concept | Relationship Type | Exam Attention Point |
|---|---|---|
| Work Performance Reports | Output of | Burn charts are a form of work performance data visualization used in reports |
| Variance Analysis | Complements | Burn charts help identify schedule variances by comparing actual vs. planned progress |
| Risk Register | Input to | Burn chart trends can trigger risk responses if progress deviates from plan |
| Change Requests | Trigger for | Significant deviations shown on burn charts may lead to change requests |
Quick Review Questions
- Which burn chart shows only the work that has been completed?
- Which burn chart shows only the work that remains to be done?
- A project manager wants to show stakeholders both completed work AND remaining work on the same chart. Which type should they use?
- During which Process Group are burn charts typically used?
- True or False: A burnup chart line trends downward as the project progresses.
PMBOK v8 Reference
Section 5.6 - Data Representation Techniques (Burn Charts) Page 174 of the PMBOK v8 Guide
This study article is based exclusively on the PMBOK v8 content provided. All definitions, examples, and exam guidance are derived from the official PMI source material.