Streamlining Software Development with Jira Best Practices
At Atlas Bench, we recognize that implementing efficient workflows is critical for managing complex software projects successfully. As an agile software development leader, Jira offers unparalleled capabilities for overseeing, tracking and coordinating development efforts across teams and time zones. With over 65,000 organizations and millions of users worldwide relying on Jira, it has become the platform of choice for technology and product companies big and small. However, realizing Jira’s full potential hinges on establishing sound workflows tailored to your environment. Without clear processes linking cross-functional teams, projects can quickly become chaotic. In this guide, we share Jira best practices distilled from years of experience running agile software programs to help you optimize workflows and boost team alignment.
Crafting Ideal Jira Workflows
Jira’s power stems from its flexibility to support virtually any workflow needed, from a solo developer’s task list to intricate multi-team programs. Out of the box, Jira provides a basic workflow for software development enabling you to create, assign, and complete straightforward tasks. For more elaborate projects, workflows can be constructed from the ground up or customized from pre-built templates. At Atlas Bench, we leverage Jira across a spectrum of scenarios:
- Multi-company initiatives
- Complex software release planning
- Customer support ticket handling
- Pre-sales collaboration
- Coordinated cross-functional delivery
For software projects, we recommend configuring a Jira instance with multiple boards representing each sub-team, aligned under a shared overarching workflow for tracking progress. This approach doesn’t dictate how each group works, yet provides visibility into collective status. As organizations scale, this structure proves far more sustainable than fragmented workflows.
Capitalizing on Jira’s Latest Capabilities
Jira offers an exceptional breadth of capabilities today. Let’s examine some of the most valuable features for streamlining teamwork:
- Conditional Access: Give users access to only necessary Jira views and functions according to their role. This enhances security and focuses work.
- WIP Limits: Control the number of items allowed in “in progress” status. Excess items trigger alerts to identify bottlenecks.
- Advanced Search: Leverage structured query language to pinpoint information rapidly across projects. Far more powerful than basic search.
- Smart Automation: Configure automatic transitions between workflow stages based on criteria like labels, assignees, dates. Reduces manual steps.
With Jira Server reaching end-of-life in 2024, many organizations are migrating to Jira Cloud. Take our readiness assessment to ensure a smooth transition.
Navigating Common Jira Challenges
Despite its strengths, Jira presents some inherent challenges. But with the right strategies, these can be overcome:
- Steep learning curve: For teams new to agile and Jira, the many features and views can overwhelm users initially. Thorough training and documentation helps users acclimate. Consider mentoring from experienced Jira admins.
- Feature overload: Don’t activate every feature available. Evaluate which add most value and disable unused ones. Keep workflows lean.
- Silos: Don’t allow teams to create disjointed workflows. Establish conventions for statuses, fields and other elements to enable better alignment.
- Workflow sprawl: Limit workflows to what’s essential for the organization. Look for commonalities among workflows to consolidate where possible.
- Change resistance: Involve teams in designing guidelines and share how standards benefit collaboration. Make incremental tweaks over time.
Additional Tips for Jira Excellence
- Seek input from regular users when establishing conventions to gain buy-in.
- Designate cross-functional Jira admins to uphold standards across groups.
- Integrate Jira with other platforms like code repos, chat tools, and docs to connect work.
- Standardize issue types, statuses, and fields used to enable better reporting.
- Automate repetitive steps like transitions and assignments to reduce manual work.
Syncing with Non-Users
For teams unable to adopt Jira directly, its data can still be leveraged through integrations. Rather than static exports, real-time syncs give non-users visibility into Jira without changing tools. For example, Atlas Bench offers no-code integration between Jira and platforms like Asana, Trello, Slack, and 100+ more. Workflows running in each system stay in sync automatically based on configurable rules. This “best of both worlds” approach lets teams collaborate while working their preferred way.
Implementing Jira Best Practices with Atlas Bench
With 5+ years of experience as an Atlassian Solutions Provider, Atlas Bench has deep expertise in Jira implementation, including:
- Jira Training – We conduct customized training aligned to your workflows to accelerate user adoption.
- Workflow Consulting – Our experts design optimized workflows tailored to your environment and processes using proven models.
- Ongoing Administration – We handle all Jira maintenance from access controls to permissions so you can focus on execution.
- Integrations – We connect Jira to your other platforms like GitHub, Confluence, and Slack for end-to-end visibility.
- Customization – To meet your unique needs, we build custom views, fields, filters, and apps on Jira leveraging the latest capabilities.
- Migration – We can migrate you from Jira Server to Jira Cloud seamlessly without disruption.
By leveraging Atlas Bench as your agile delivery partner, you gain the expertise and resources to implement Jira best practices for managing software projects efficiently at enterprise scale. Contact us to learn more and craft a tailored solution for your organization.
