What is User Value Velocity?
User Value Velocity (UVV) measures how quickly a team delivers meaningful, real-world value to users—not just completed tasks or code. Unlike traditional velocity, which counts story points or tasks, UVV evaluates how your work improves user satisfaction, product usability, or business outcomes.
Why does User Value Velocity matter?
UVV matters because it aligns a team’s work with outcomes that actually benefit users. It encourages prioritizing impactful features, validating user needs, and focusing on measurable improvements. Teams that use UVV are more likely to build the right things—not just build things fast.
How is User Value Velocity different from standard velocity?
Standard velocity tracks how many story points or tasks are completed in a sprint. It's a measure of output. UVV, on the other hand, measures outcomes—what difference that work made for the user. For example, a feature that boosts user engagement or satisfaction contributes more to UVV than one that goes unnoticed.
How do you measure User Value Velocity?
To measure UVV:
- Define what “value” means in your context—this could be user satisfaction scores, feature adoption rates, or reduced support tickets.
- Estimate potential value during sprint planning.
- After release, measure the real impact.
- Calculate the velocity by dividing the total user value delivered by the time it took to deliver.
Can UVV and traditional velocity be used together?
Yes. Many teams use both. Traditional velocity helps with capacity planning, while UVV keeps the focus on outcomes and ensures the team is not just moving fast, but moving in the right direction.
What are the benefits of using UVV?
- Helps prioritize high-impact work
- Reinforces user-centered development
- Prevents wasted effort on low-value features
- Encourages feedback-driven improvements
- Reduces the risk of burnout by shifting focus from quantity to quality
What are some challenges with UVV?
- Defining and quantifying value can be difficult
- It may take time to see the impact of changes
- Requires integration of feedback and data collection into workflows
Is User Value Velocity only for Agile teams?
While UVV is popular in Agile environments, it’s applicable to any product or development team that values outcome-driven work. Whether you're using Scrum, Kanban, or another method, UVV can provide insight into how your work benefits end users.
What’s a simple way to get started with UVV?
Start by picking one or two meaningful metrics that relate to user experience or business goals. Use these to guide sprint planning and review sessions. Over time, build a habit of estimating and validating value regularly.