Jira, Confluence, and Kanban
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Create an account
Sign up for the Free plan for Jira and Confluence, not a free trial of the Standard plan. You could use your Google account so you don't need to remember an additional user name and password.
Jira is used for issue tracking, Confluence is used for documents (Pages and Blogs).
There are different Jira products, Jira Software, Jira Service Desk, and Jira Core. As software engineers, we will use Jira Software.
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Documentation / Help
Create a site
After signing up, create a site. A site contains a single instance of each product you're using, Confluence and Jira. This name will be part of the URL that you and your users will go to when logging in so choose wisely.
I suggest you make one site for just exploration and testing. You could name this site yourname-CEN3073. You could even use it to help you manage your coursework by creating issues for assignments for example.
When you start working with a business / client / sponsor, create a new site.
Choose the next-gen Kanban template.
Documentation / Help
Create a project
A Jira project is a collection of issues. You will use a Jira project to coordinate the development of a product. A Jira project could also be used to track a project, manage a help desk, and more, depending on requirements.
Choose the Jira icon > Projects.
In the top-right corner, select Create project > Try a next-gen project.
Under Template, click Change template and select Kanban.
Documentation / Help
Permissions
For paid plans, permissions in Jira are very granular. You can edit project permissions and roles and you can configure issue-level security. You can even allow users to view and create issues without logging in.
For free plans, there are limitations, basically everyone is an admin. Project permissions, roles, and issue-level security in Free plans
For this class, go to https://admin.atlassian.com/ then Manage users under Organizations. Invite profvanselow@gmail.com. Invite and remove users
Click the three dots next to the User and then Add user to group and choose administrators (not site administrators, just administrators).
Kanban
Learn kanban with Jira software Tutorial
What is kanban? (5:31) Overview, boards, cards, flow, lead time
What is a kanban board? (6:09) 5 key elements:
visual signals (cards)
columns (representing workflow like “To Do”, “In Progress”, “Complete”)
Work In Progress (WIP) limits
commitment point
delivery point
WIP Limits (5:49) set the maximum amount of work that can exist in each status of a workflow.
Kanplan adding a backlog to kanban
What are Kanban Cards? (5:18)
Heirarchy
Epics, Stories, Themes, and Initiatives
Jira only has Epics, Issues, and Subtasks.
Epics
Agile Epics: Definition, Examples, & Templates
Epics are large work items. Epics will often span multiple sprints, development cycles, and versions. They take months or weeks to complete, depending on organizational culture.
Learn how to use Epics in Jira Software Tutorial focus on Working with epics in next-gen Software projects section
Issues
Issues are used to describe one single piece of work. There are many issues in each epic.
There are three preset types of issues in Jira. Add or Edit the types in Project settings | Issue types | + Add issue type.
Stories are meant to describe and articulate features. Used somewhat interchangably with user stories in Jira.
Tasks are more routine work.
Bugs
Working with issues in Jira Software
Subtask
You might create sub-tasks for any of the following reasons:
To split an issue into even smaller chunks
To allow various aspects of an issue to be assigned to different people
To create a to-do list for an issue
A non-software Hierarchy Example
In General
Theme: the Five Pillars
Initiatives: Pillar Objectives
Epics: Departmental goals / actions in support of Pillar Objectives that span months
Story/Task: Actions taken by departments that span days or weeks
Subtask: Smaller, specific actions taken by departments
Specifically
Theme: Student Success
Initiative: Focus on improving our retention and 4-year graduation rates.
Epic: Creation of Student Success and Enrollment Management division
Story/Task: Repurpose Cohen Center
Subtask: Move administrative offices out of Cohen Center and convert to student spaces