Control chart

About this report

The Control Chart report reflects the time that work items spend in a given state over a user-defined time frame. This chart is useful for visualizing the throughput of entire programs and portfolios, and can be used to assess consistency and productivity over time.

You can view this chart for either features or stories. The work item type to display on the chart can be set in the Item drop-down menu. You can also set a preset time period to display using the Configuration bar, the Time Frame drop-down menu, or select a customized date range. Additionally, the Control Chart can be filtered to display one or more work item states using the States filter.

Individual items are displayed on the chart as dots. The horizontal placement of each dot reflects the date that the work item was moved out of the last state selected to be displayed on the chart. The vertical placement reflects the total number of days that the work item spends in these states. Pointing to a work item’s dot on the scatter plot will display details on work item state changes for the item, including:

• Total time spent in all of the user-selected states.
• The last day an item changed state (all states).
• If the item has already been accepted—the date the item was accepted.
• Time spent in each selected state.

This report also displays a line graph to reflect the rolling average, as well as a flat line, reflecting the overall average of the data. It also includes a shaded area, representing the standard deviation for the data.

Navigation

1. Select the Reports icon from the left Navigation menu.
2. Start typing the report's name in the Search box.
3. Once found, select the report.

Note: You can also use the categories on the left to search for the needed reports.

Prerequisites 

1. A program and/or portfolio must be selected in the Configuration bar.
2. Features must be created and assigned to a program. 
3. Stories must be created and assigned to a program.
4. Features and stories must have changes in state since their initial creation. 

How to interpret this report

In a retrospective, you can use this report to assess performance. If the majority of work items spend a similar number of days in a work item state, this suggests a consistent team. Likewise, a narrow standard deviation signifies that a team is working at a consistent pace. Work items which appear far outside the standard deviation may indicate that they contained a large workload or needed special attention during the selected time frame.

The Control Chart is also helpful in evaluating the effects of program-wide process changes on throughput. A downward rolling average trend indicates that work items are moving through states faster, indicating a more productive change.

You can share this report with external stakeholders. To do this, select the triple line icon at the top right of the chart to print or export it as a PDF, JPEG, PNG, or SVG file.