The most important information about the status of the project is the updated release plan. The release plan defines the current view of the release content and availability. Metrics, such as the team's velocity, can also be provided. Typically, metrics are tracked for the purpose of helping the team improve some aspects of development they are having problems with. These metrics can be presented as part of project status.

The velocity metric can be abused. Keep in mind that there is no valid comparison of velocities between teams. The most important thing about a team's velocity is the stability of the velocity. This allows the team to predict what it can accomplish.

Other meaningful metrics:

• Defined stories over time, overlaid with completed stories
• Defined customer tests overlaid with running customer tests
• Number of unit tests tracked over time
• Unit test coverage

The team's significant metrics are recorded on flip chart paper and hung in the team's open workspace.

Since outside stakeholders do not participate in the daily activities of the team, it is important that the status of the project should be communicated to them as often as possible. It lowers significantly the risk of disconnect between the development team and the stakeholders. It also provides the team with data they can use to improve their development process. Stakeholders should come to the open workspace and view the project status that is recorded on the walls of the open workspace. They can experience the progress being made by the team first hand.