Questions

Frequently asked questions about Velocity40 framework and implementation.

1. Framework Basics

Question 1: Why exactly 40 hours?

Answer:

40 hours comes from the standard weekly work capacity of one person.

It is a reference value that makes comparison and realistic planning possible.

But if someone works less or more, it is directly reflected in their capacity:

A person working 37.5 h/week has 37.5 as their anchor, not 40.
A person working part-time (20 h) has 20 as their anchor.
A person with a shorter week (e.g., 30 h) has 30 as their anchor.

The point of Velocity40 is not the number itself but that everyone has a clearly defined capacity in time units.

This way, planning is based on reality, not impressions or wishes.

Question 2: Why 40 hours and not Story Points?

Answer:

Because the calendar is built on time.

Meetings, vacations, and workdays are planned in hours and days, not in abstract units.

Velocity40 uses time units as a universal language that everyone understands: you, your team, and management.

Question 3: Isn't 40 more capacity than velocity?

Answer:

Yes, the number 40 represents capacity, while velocity refers to pace. The framework connects them into one whole.

Capacity is the time frame, how much time an individual or a team has available (e.g., 40 h per week).
Velocity is the amount of work actually completed within that time frame.

Velocity40 combines both principles:

"40" represents fixed capacity (a time anchor).
"Velocity" expresses the pace, how much work you can actually deliver in this frame.

That way, Velocity40 doesn't create confusion but gives both terms a new, practically connected meaning: only when you start from capacity can you measure and maintain a stable delivery pace.

Question 4: How do I start with Velocity40?

Answer:

Start at FL1, the operational level.

Break work down into concrete tasks of maximum 8 hours.

Estimate them in hours and plan them into your week with a fixed capacity anchor (e.g., 40 h).

Once you gain experience with your performance in time, your output becomes predictable.

And when an individual's output is predictable, so is the entire team's.

Use FL2 and FL3 only when neededfor example, when deciding on priorities, strategy, or large initiatives.

2. Estimates and Reality

Question 5: If I estimate 40 and deliver in 20, does that mean I was faster than time?

Answer:

No. Time always flows at the same pace.

If you estimated 40 and delivered in 20, it only means your estimate was inaccurate.

Your actual performance was 20 and that is the real value.

The goal of Velocity40 is not to "beat time" but to understand your real performance in time and learn to estimate so that the plan matches reality.

Once you manage this, your output becomes predictable and together with others', so does the team's.

Question 6: What if my estimate is wrong?

Answer:

That happens, and it's part of the process.

The goal is not to have perfect estimates from the start but to gain experience with your own performance in time.

Every estimate that differs from reality gives you feedback:

If the task was smaller than you thought → you learn you can handle similar tasks faster.
If the task was bigger → you learn that next time you need more time or a more detailed breakdown.

Gradually your output becomes predictable and so does the team's.

3. Flexibility and Scaling

Question 7: What if priorities change midweek?

Answer:

That's common. Velocity40 assumes the world changes.

That's why you work with granularity at the level of one day each task is max 8 hours.

This lets you reassess priorities the very next day without the whole plan collapsing.

The framework isn't rigid, it's more like a daily rhythm that gives you flexibility to respond to change.

Question 8: What if someone on the team gets sick or goes on vacation?

Answer:

Then the capacity simply decreases, just like in the calendar.

Velocity40 shows this transparently: right away you know the team has fewer hours available.

No complicated recalculations are neededyou just work with a smaller capacity anchor.

This helps keep plans realistic and avoids hidden overload.

Question 9: Does Velocity40 work for large teams or whole organizations?

Answer:

Yes. Velocity40 scales very easily:

Every individual has their own capacity anchor (e.g., 40 h, 37.5 h, 20 h).
Teams then work with the sum of these anchors.
Organizations can work with aggregated capacity across teams.

This way you can imagine Velocity40 as "LEGO blocks of time."

Each person brings their block, and together you build the team's or department's capacity.

4. Methods and Approaches

Question 10: How does Velocity40 relate to work management methods (agile and classic)?

Answer:

Velocity40 doesn't conflict with any work management approach, it is interpolable.

It doesn't matter if you use agile methods (Scrum, Kanban), classical project management (Waterfall, PRINCE2), or a hybrid.

Scrum tells you "how to collaborate in iterations."
Kanban tells you "how to visualize and manage flow."
Classical PM tells you "how to plan a project in phases."
Velocity40 adds "how to plan realistically in time."

So it doesn't clash but rather complements every method.

Whatever framework your team uses, Velocity40 always provides a time anchor that brings predictability.

Question 11: Can Velocity40 be combined with Story Points?

Answer:

Within Velocity40, Story Points have no role in planning and capacity. Those roles are clearly represented by EXI/EVI (strategic level) and BVI/EFI (coordination level).

Velocity40 is built on time units as the universal language everyone understands, from individuals to management.

Question 12: Is Velocity40 only for IT teams?

Answer:

No. Velocity40 is universal.

Any team working with tasks over time can use the framework:

Software development
Marketing
HR
Manufacturing
Project or product management

Wherever you need to plan realistically and build predictability, Velocity40 makes sense.

5. Practical Situations and Exceptions

Question 13: What if work never fits into 8 hours?

Answer:

That's a signal the task isn't broken down enough.

Velocity40 teaches discipline in decomposing work so that each task is max one workday (8 hours).

If it doesn't fit:

Break the task into smaller parts.
Define separate steps with clear owners.
Track their completion along the way.

This helps you avoid "black holes", big tasks that disappear from sight for several days with the team not knowing their status.

Question 14: How does Velocity40 work in environments with a lot of unplanned work (incidents, ad-hoc requests)?

Answer:

Velocity40 also accounts for environments with a high share of unplanned work.

The solution is simple: allocate part of team capacity as a reserve for incidents and ad-hoc tasks.

For example:

The team has 200 h total capacity.
They know about 25% typically goes to incidents.
So they only plan with 150 h and leave the rest as a buffer.

By continuously monitoring the backlog, the team knows how much work "eats up" capacity and can work with reduced capacity from the start.

This brings two benefits:

Unexpected work becomes expected. There is space for it.
Planned work doesn't get endlessly replanned. It has a clear boundary.

Velocity40 thus allows planning with realistically reduced capacity while remaining predictable even in chaotic environments.

Question 15: Isn't 40 hours too optimistic when we have so many meetings?

Answer:

40 hours is a framework, but it doesn't mean the whole week is free for focused work.

Every team must also factor in time for meetings, communication, and coordination.

If you find that:

15 hours/week go into communication,
25 hours remain for focused work,

then 25 hours is your real anchor.

Velocity40 leads you to this self-reflection. Instead of assumptions, you work with reality.

The framework doesn't force "artificial 40 hours," it helps you find your true capacity.

6. FAQ Summary

The FAQ shows that Velocity40 does not conflict with any work management method.

On the contrary, it builds on a simple truth: time is the only real anchor we have.

Once we start using it across teams, predictability and calm enter planning.

That's why Velocity40 is applicable in both agile and classic environments, for small teams and entire organizations.