Release Planning

Given a velocity, the customers can get an idea of the cost of each of the stories, as well as its business value and priority. This allows the customers to choose the stories they want done first. This choice is not purely a matter of priority. Something that is important but also expensive may be delayed in favor of something that is less important but much less expensive. Choices like this are business decisions. The business folks decide which stories give them the most bang for the buck.

The developers and customers agree on a date for the first release of the project. This is usually a matter of 24 months in the future. The customers pick the stories they want implemented within that release and the rough order they want them implemented in. The customers cannot choose more stories than will fit according to the current velocity. Since the velocity is initially inaccurate, this selection is crude. But accuracy is not very important at this point. The release plan can be adjusted as velocity becomes more accurate.