With more than 65,000 organizations and companies using it every day, Jira ranks among the top when it comes to creating efficient and effective workflows. This Atlassian-developed solution is customer-centric and enables software development teams to manage projects and track their progress regardless of how complex or big they are.
However, Jira can be challenging to use for people who are new to the software. Development teams can also face challenges collaborating through Jira in the absence of clear guidelines on how to design and sync workflows among different teams to keep a project running at the required pace.
In order to get the best out of Jira, you need to know all its ins and outs, and software development teams must adopt best practices that are designed specifically for their workflows.
In this article, we will talk about the best practices for using Jira for software development teams and discuss topics like setting up Jira, customizing workflows, addressing different issues, integrating Jira with other tools, and optimizing analytics to get the desired results.
But first, let’s start with seeing what exactly Jira is!
Understand What Jira Is
Developed by Atlassian, an Australian company, Jira is a project management software that is based on the agile methodology. As for its uses, companies and organizations use it for different purposes. The most popular use of this software is project management.
Jira has a number of different features and functions that enable users to handle different workflow-related issues with greater efficiency. Some of the key concepts that everyone planning to use Jira should know about include:
Projects
Projects are of great importance and utility in Jira. They are used to containerize different problems and help software development teams manage their workstream in a way that meets their requirements and goals. A team can also organize its projects around an initiative or a product using this software.
In Jira, every project is configured for permissions, workflows, and other issue types. The software development teams can also resolve grouping issues within projects, which in turn improves the overall management of the project and helps the team members focus better on their tasks.
Issues
If there is anything that Jira is built upon, it’s issues. An issue is any work-related item that needs to be tracked, monitored, and managed in a project. This can include user stories, bugs, tasks, or any other work element, as long as the project needs it.
Each issue in a project is distinctively customized with attachments, fields, and comments. This is so there is a record of all the work details, and any software development team member can access it if needed.
Workflows
All the stages of an issue in a project, from its creation to its completion, are called workflows. Software development teams use workflows to understand and resolve issues during the project.
Issue resolution is easier through workflows because teams can visualize the steps or statuses of all the issues in a project at a specific point in time. Jira allows users to customize workflows according to different project types. This helps the development teams to efficiently manage a problem while allowing them the flexibility to do so.
Boards
The next concept in Jira is boards, which are visual representations of workflow. Software development teams use boards when they want to monitor issues in a project in real time. Boards display issues against every workflow stage which helps users to know and see exactly what is going on at a certain stage of the project.
Sprints
Sprints are fixed time durations during which teams working on a project complete their tasks from the product backlog. They normally run on a weekly basis and are typically one, two, or four weeks long. When a sprint ends, the team is usually finished building and implementing a part of the product.
Epics
High-level project goals or tasks are called epics. These are large bodies of work that are divided into issues that are comparatively smaller and more manageable. Epics help software development teams group all the related issues in one category so their progress toward a higher-level initiative can be easily tracked. This ensures that all the tasks are completed on time and are in line with the project’s objectives.
Versions
In Jira, versions are the different points in time in a project that give software development teams milestones to achieve. This helps organize work in a better way because a team member can assign issues to a specific version and accordingly organize sprints to complete all the required tasks timely and efficiently.
Dashboards
These give users a configurable overview of all the data in a project. This includes the progress of different tasks, their status, and other important metrics that are essential to completing a project on time. Dashboards are also important when you have to give stakeholders and other team members a detailed insight into the project because they help you access everything in one place.
Applications and Uses of Jira
There are several different applications and uses of Jira, such as for operations, software development, marketing and project management. Following are some of the most common applications and uses of this software:
For Project Management
The Jira tool is incredibly beneficial for project management teams. It's highly adaptable, allowing for the customization of any project type. Its adaptability is a key factor in its widespread popularity. For project management teams, Jira offers a wide range of project templates to choose from.
Teams have the option to develop their own templates as per their specific workflow requirements. This software also ensures that all tasks move through the workflow so that all steps are completed effectively, and the project is completed on time. Additionally, administrators can monitor the progress of various tasks within the project and adjust accordingly.
From reports to workflow, the project templates available in Jira store all necessary information and track the project’s progress. This helps the project managers to see all information in one place and identify tasks that require attention, simplifying the whole process.
For Software Development
The Jira tool offers software companies access to its Jira cloud services, which are considered some of the top cloud services available in the market these days. These services include tools designed to help organize and visualize data.
Additionally, these tools assist team members in managing data from stakeholders, budgets, and other daily tasks. It is popularly known and acknowledged that Jira can connect with a range of CI/CD tools, enhancing transparency for users.
This tool is a comprehensive solution that benefits the entire industry in a number of different ways. By utilizing this specific Jira program, a software development company can avoid the need to invest in other cloud services.
Jira for Kanban
After it acquired Trello, the Jira tool significantly improved its Kanban framework. Trello is one of the leading Kanban project management platforms. Due to its intuitive design and wide range of features, it is used by several businesses and organizations.
Following its acquisition of Trello by Atlassian, Jira’s Kanban system improved in a number of different ways. Now, users can establish a Kanban board at any stage of a project or even add one during its execution.
Additionally, there is a guide available for people who are new to the Kanban framework. The Jira Kanban's workflow system utilizes a drag-drop interface, which makes it easier to move the tasks once they are completed.
Jira for Scrum
The Jira tool also helps users in developing scrum boards for their projects. These scrum boards play an important role in monitoring sprints and backlogs, which in turn ensures that the execution of the project can be done in a more efficient way. Jira's scrum board is particularly well-suited for large-scale projects, as it simplifies the entire project management process.
Creating a new Scrum board for a project follows a similar process to that of creating a Kanban board. The user can choose tasks from the backlog and organize them into separate sprints. Furthermore, the Jira program automatically organizes these sprints into smaller Kanban boards, making it easier for the team members to monitor the project and ensure a smooth workflow throughout the project.
Jira’s Unique Features in 2024
Lately, Jira has introduced some impressive features to help you get through any and every scenario, from task creation to completion. Here’s a brief look at them!
Custom Access
In software development, several team members work on a product side by side. Thanks to Jira’s custom access, project managers can now give their team members access to different features in their workflow. Although this access is based on permissions, it keeps everyone in a software development team informed about who made what changes in the project at what point in time.
Work-in-Progress Limits
Before this feature, having too many items in Work-in-Progress (WIP) mode was used to slow up the workflow of a project. However, since Jira introduced WIP limits, Jira alerts the project managers whenever a set limit is exceeded. This feature increases efficiency in workflows and helps keep the project on track.
Extensive Search Functionality
Whether conducting a basic or a complex search, Jira enables you to locate the information you need in mere seconds. Jira's sophisticated search feature allows you to identify issues by using structured queries in the Jira Query Language, offering a highly effective way to search for information.
Data-Driven Automation
Workflow automation is one of the most underrated Jira features.
Depending on data characteristics such as labels or standard/custom fields, it allows teams to automatically advance tasks within the workflow.
Best Practices for Software Development
Jira has become a preferred choice for software development teams because of its features like permissions, customizations, automation, and integration with third-party apps. But, to get the most out of this software, you should know the best practices for using it. Following are some of the top practices for software development teams to follow:
Define Your Goals
Jira, because of its flexibility, can be used in a number of different ways. For example, you might primarily use it for status updates during your sprint, or you could utilize it as a comprehensive project management tool to monitor the progress of the development process. But, for all this, you need to define your goals for using this software. You should ask yourself who will be the main users of Jira. And will they utilize it for:
- Monitoring the status of specific tasks to determine when and how to contribute?
- Using it as a resource to gain insights into the project?
- Perhaps for time tracking for billing clients, evaluating performance internally, making decisions based on data, or a combination of these?
- Or is it a platform for collaboration, sharing, and disseminating knowledge among various teams involved in the project's development?
Finding answers to all these questions will make you clear about your goal with using Jira for your software development project.
Integration With Third-Party Apps and Plugins
Jira is a comprehensive platform for project management. However, like other heavy softwares, it becomes slow and clunky in moving forward. There are a number of third-party applications and plugins that help Jira perform optimally. Therefore, if you feel there are certain features missing from the app, don't hesitate to explore them because there’s likely a solution to every Jira problem you will ever face during software development.
For example, suppose a team depends on an external tool to develop a set of internal procedures and improve collaboration. In that case, it can utilize ScriptRunner to build automation that's more complex than the standard features.
Alternatively, BigGantt can also be used to track progress easily with a drag-and-drop interface. You should not hesitate to integrate Jira with other apps and tools because, when integrated with the right plugins and third-party apps, this software keeps everyone on the same path regarding a project’s progress.
Use Checklists in Tickets
Incorporating a checklist into your Jira issues can help you structure and organize all the work of your project in a way that there is transparency and clarity about the project’s progress whenever a team member wants to know. There are a number of other benefits of checklists for Jira, too. These include the following:
- Jira checklists give you a plan. Initiating a feature implementation can be challenging without a strategy, leading to confusion and time wastage.
- Having peace of mind working on tasks one at a time is much better than facing uncertainties.
- Visibility – when everyone can see the checklist's progress, it helps bring everyone on the same page without hours-long discussions and explanations;
- Assistance – with progress visible, team members can offer each other guidance on the strategy and the tasks that are difficult to handle individually;
- Prioritization – with all the tasks listed, you and your team can determine which should be done urgently and which can be done later;
- You can utilize checklists for repetitive tasks. Definition Done, Acceptance Criteria, onboarding, and service desk tickets are ideal for automation.
Furthermore, you can automatically incorporate checklists into your Jira workflow. This is based on specific triggers, such as the content of an issue or workflow setup.
Avoid Adding Unnecessary Information
Data is crucial to a project’s success. However, being aware is equally crucial to resolving issues on Jira. Adding unnecessary project data on Jira leads to confusion, which slows down the overall work progress. There is no harm in using Jira for the purpose of sharing knowledge, but if certain information, such as links to documentation or your organization's processes, is essential for finishing a task, you should include it inside the task.
Use simple formatting techniques to enhance its readability. It is also unnecessary to add a long history of modifications and individual user requirements. You should focus solely on what is absolutely essential for the successful completion of a task and provide that information in detail.
Keep Backlogs and Requirements Updated
A backlog is a normal affair in every project. As discussed earlier, it is the ideas, bugs, implementation tickets, and improvements to be addressed. Any project that fails to manage its backlog effectively faces more problems compared to the one where backlogs are regularly taken care of. Here are some tips to keep your backlog healthy:
- Add requirements to the backlog slowly. Doing so will ensure you always have a reference point. However, moving them there immediately could lead to problems if the requirements change before you start a certain task.
- Keep all the tasks of the software development team in one backlog. Diversifying across multiple systems that handle bugs, technical issues, user experience improvements, and requirements is a mistake. This is because it will complicate things for everyone involved in the project.
- Establish a consistent procedure to groom the backlog. This will provide you with a roadmap for future tasks. It is important to note that this roadmap should be flexible enough to accommodate changes based on feedback or issues raised by other teams, such as marketing, sales, and customer support.
A Product Roadmap
Jira isn't the primary choice for creating a product roadmap, but having one can be of great advantage for your software development project in the long run. A product roadmap reveals the full extent of the project and allows you to take timely and actionable decisions whenever needed. Some of the other advantages of having a product roadmap in Jira include the following:
- It simplifies the process of reviewing the project's scope with your team at any moment.
- Deciding the sequence of new tasks becomes simpler when the workload is clearly visible.
- You can quickly identify dependencies when multiple teams are involved in a software development project.
Using Projects as Templates
Setting up a new project in Jira is a laborious and time-consuming task, regardless of how many times you have done it before. This becomes particularly challenging in companies that keep announcing and releasing new products using a similar development method, like in the case of mobile game development.
If you have the right combination of tools, you won’t need to repeat the same steps while setting up a new project. By using tools like Easy Clone for Jira Cloud, you can easily replicate projects, issues, stories, or workflow scenarios, turning them into project templates.
Add Definition of Done to All Jira Issues
The Definition of Done is a checklist of tasks that helps decide if a feature is ready to be released. In other words, it determines if an item is ready to go into the next phase. The easiest way to share this checklist with the team is to include it in issues.
You can simplify this task with a Smart Checklist, but there are some key guidelines to follow to create an effective Definition of Done checklist:
- Your goals should be realistic.
- They should clearly outline what you want to achieve.
- It is important to make tasks measurable to simplify the work estimation process.
- Use simple language so that everyone involved in the software development project can understand the Definition of Done.
- Ensure all your criteria can be tested for the quality assurance team to check if they meet.
Make Customer-focused Decisions
Every choice you make must be made keeping the customers in mind because they are the main stakeholders. Agile methodologies are particularly successful because they emphasize this focus across all challenges. You should keep this principle in mind at every stage of your Jira project, whether you're introducing workflows, developing new ones, specifying issue fields, or addressing issue categories.
To consistently provide value to the customers, it is important to know what they would look for while using the product. User story maps are essential to ensure the customer remains a central part of all your actions. They assist in prioritizing based on customer requirements and offer a clear overview of the customer's journey.
Create a Workflow Specially Designed For Your Team
Some software development teams develop a universal workflow and replicate it across different types of issues with only minor adjustments. However, this approach may not be suitable for every team.
While having a universal workflow might seem time-saving and a simpler way to go, it is likely to make your team use a tool that's not designed for their specific needs. Do keep in mind that you should be using Jira to make things easy for you and your team and not the other way around.
You should have effective workflows for them, not just simple to implement for you. Putting in time and effort to create workflows, especially for your software development team, will pay you in the long run because every member of your team will be using Jira on a daily basis.
So, what should you do to create a customized workflow for your project and team? The first and foremost is to clear your mind of any existing templates and focus on engaging with your team. Understand the processes your team follows and translate them into Jira.
Ask a representative from each role in your team how they go about their tasks during a project. This will help you address all their requirements while creating the workflow. The ideal workflow is the one that's customized for your team, not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Avoid Over Customization
Custom workflows provide software development teams with a solution that can be modified according to their requirements. But, sometimes, customization has a few drawbacks as well.
For example, as your Jira workflows evolve, they will gradually lose their distinctiveness, becoming increasingly similar. At times, they might even transform into a completely new framework that struggles to interact with the original versions.
Include custom fields as necessary, but avoid making already complex workflows more complicated. You should have standard guidelines for your team regarding the customization of different workflows to reduce issues related to compatibility.
Make sure that all the customizations are approved by the OKRs experts, the people who have a comprehensive understanding of the overall product’s strategy. It might be wise for bigger teams to restrict access to admin roles to avoid the introduction of unnecessary and potentially harmful customization.
Limit Statuses and Transitions in Workflows
Jira enables you to add a status for each step in your team's workflow. However, it is also important to consider that each status and transition introduces additional complexity for the team operating within the workflow.
To keep up the pace, you should keep the process streamlined. After getting an idea about how your team works, select only the statuses and transitions that are essential for the project. A workflow overloaded with statuses and transitions can lead to confusion. Also, keep in mind that the team members working in the workflow should fully understand and utilize it.
Challenges of Using Jira and Its Solutions
Working with Jira comes with its own challenges, but with the right approach, you can address these challenges effectively. Here are some of the common challenges you might face with this software and their solutions:
Complex Interface
Since Jira has a huge number of features and relies on agile methodology, it is natural to have an interface that might not be easy for beginners to understand. You should have a training period for all the team members who will be using Jira during the course of the software development project. As discussed earlier, Jira also has a wide range of plugins to help understand workflows, monitor the progress of different tasks and manage the overall project.
Too Many Workflows
In the case of multiple project scenarios, you will end up having to deal with multiple workflows simultaneously. This makes it difficult for project managers to stay informed about the project’s progress, especially in big companies where there are more than one project going on at a time.
The first thing you should do is to see your Jira workflows and try finding ways in which you can group based on a common factor, like issue type. Next, design a single workflow for each of these common factors in order to have fewer workflows than before.
A Feature-packed Workflow
Software development teams often like to have as many features in their workflows as possible in order to make their tasks easier. However, this also means more workflow statuses, fields, or labels than actually needed for a project. The best way to address this issue is by keeping things simple. Ask your team to determine how much value each of the statuses adds to the software development process.
Once this is done, ask them to keep only the statuses that are necessary for the project. Always keep in mind that just because you can add as many steps in Jira as you want doesn’t mean it is always a good practice.
Conclusion
Jira is a powerful tool, especially for software development teams. However, its effectiveness depends on how well this software is understood and implemented during a project. From software development to project management and operations, Jira has a number of different uses and applications.
Similarly, it has some unique features, like Custom Access, WIP Limits, and Data-driven Automation. Following best Jira practices, such as having a clear goal in mind, using checklists, integrating with third-party apps and plugins like ours to manage your issue templates, keeping backlogs updated, avoiding over-customization, and having a product roadmap, can maximize efficiency and collaboration among team members.
As your software development team grows, the project requirements will also change, but Jira’s flexibility allows it to scale and adapt to the changing requirements so it can be completed timely. Jira should be used as a tool that is continuously improved, customized, and optimized based on the evolving project requirements.
By doing so, you will be able to ensure productivity, transparency, and collaboration during your software development project.
