The correct answer is B — Set the velocity to the delivered story points of the last sprint.
Agile velocity is a historical measure, not a target. It represents the amount of work a team actually completed in a previous sprint and should be used to help guide future sprint planning. Teams should not inflate, manipulate, or "game" their velocity; instead, they should use it as a basis for realistic planning.
PMI Agile Practice Guide states:
“Velocity is calculated by totaling the points for all fully completed stories. It is a measure of what the team can complete—not what it hopes to complete—and should be used as an empirical baseline for planning.”
(PMI Agile Practice Guide, Section 5.3 – Estimation and Velocity)
Mike Griffiths further explains:
“Velocity should be based on historical data from previous sprints. Teams should not artificially inflate velocity by changing estimation practices or slicing stories merely to appear more productive.”
(PMI-ACP Exam Prep, Chapter 5 – Adaptive Planning)
Incorrect options:
A promotes splitting for manipulation, not for clarity.
C suggests altering estimation practices for the sake of metrics.
D implies gaming the system to falsely increase velocity.
Answer: B
—
