VL-09
Dimensional Velocity Imbalance — Dimensions Tell Different Stories
Velocity
Default severity: medium
PrioritizationEstimationOutputEffort
What it detects
Velocity across the three dimensions (issue count, story points, hours) are inconsistent within a single sprint — e.g. high issue count velocity but low story point velocity (small issues completed, large ones untouched) or high SP velocity but low hours (stories closed with little work logged). Dimensional imbalance reveals what is really being completed.
Detection formula
FOR each_sprint S: pct_of_avg_issues = completed(issue_count, S) / baseline(issue_count).avg pct_of_avg_sp = completed(story_points, S) / baseline(story_points).avg pct_of_avg_hours = completed(hours, S) / baseline(hours).avg max_spread = MAX(pct_of_avg_issues, pct_of_avg_sp, pct_of_avg_hours) - MIN(pct_of_avg_issues, pct_of_avg_sp, pct_of_avg_hours) IF max_spread > config.vl.dimensional_imbalance_threshold // default: 0.40 (40% spread) THEN FLAG dimensional_imbalance Report: all three % values side by side with interpretation Pattern guide: high issues + low SP = cherry-picking small items; high SP + low hours = ghost closuresExamples in practice
- A team shows velocity across the three dimensions (issue count, story points, hours) are inconsistent within a single sprint while dimensional imbalance threshold is set to 0.40 (40% spread).
- Example signal: Velocity across the three dimensions (issue count, story points, hours) are inconsistent within a single sprint — e.
Suggested response
Plan to historical capacity—avoid repeated over or under-commitment and unstable velocity.
Coaching playbook
Symptom
Velocity across the three dimensions (issue count, story points, hours) are inconsistent within a single sprint — e.g. high issue count velocity but low story point velocity (small issues completed, large ones untouched) or high SP velocity but low hours (stories closed with little work logged). Dimensional imbalance reveals what is really being completed.
Why it matters
When "Dimensional Velocity Imbalance — Dimensions Tell Different Stories" keeps appearing, the team is signalling a repeatable process gap. Left unexamined, the pattern hides where work really stalls and makes improvement metrics harder to trust.
What you can achieve
Plan to historical capacity—avoid repeated over or under-commitment and unstable velocity.
Facilitation questions
- What system change would stop "Dimensional Velocity Imbalance — Dimensions Tell Different Stories" from firing again?
- What do the cited issues have in common — same root cause or same workaround?
- Who owns the two-week experiment and how will we verify on the next import?
Run this rule against your own tracker data with Flow Analyzer.