Critique of Story Points and Velocity

The common practice of using story points and velocity in Scrum for estimating work items is scrutinized due to concerns about their misuse. Many teams have expressed that management often misinterprets these values, using them to compare team performances and set unrealistic expectations. This has led to an unhealthy environment where teams feel pressure to manipulate story points to avoid negative consequences. Consequently, the idea of relying on more straightforward metrics instead of estimates is proposed, aiming for a more transparent and accurate measurement of team performance.