At the beginning of each sprint, the product owner sets a goal for how much work needs to be accomplished before it ends. Each day, these goals should be re-evaluated as needed and any changes should be reflected on the burndown chart. As tasks are completed, their associated hours should be noted on the chart so that progress can easily be tracked over time. If tasks are not being completed as quickly as originally planned, this will also become evident from looking at the chart.

Burndown charts help project managers make sure that their teams remain organized and efficient throughout an agile project’s lifecycle. By tracking progress over time, it becomes easier for managers to identify areas where more attention is needed in order to finish tasks on schedule or adjust workloads accordingly. Additionally, this data can provide invaluable insight into how long certain tasks take which can help with future planning efforts. Finally, burndown charts help keep everyone involved with an agile project focused on meeting deadlines while ensuring that expectations are realistic in terms of what can actually be accomplished within given timelines.