Explore the complexities and potential pitfalls of using velocity as a metric in agile projects through this insightful conference talk. Delve into the Hawthorne Effect and Goodhart's Law to understand why setting velocity goals can be detrimental to project success. Examine factors that negatively impact velocity, strategies for stabilizing fluctuations, and methods to improve velocity without incurring risks. Gain valuable knowledge on additional metrics that, when combined with velocity, provide a more comprehensive view of overall project health. Learn about concepts such as Yesterday's Weather, Rolling Average, Standard Deviation, and Cumulative Flow, as well as the importance of team and department joy in project management.