What is the best portfolio and project management structure to use in Jira Software Cloud?

[Leandro Azevedo]

I am looking for the simplest and easiest to navigate and maintain portfolio and project management structure, like Epic -> Story -> Task ->sub-task for example . Does Atlassian have any best practice documentation for that ?

[David Nickell]

Just me.  My opinion only

I am surprised nobody offered ideas on this yet.  I have worked for a dozen (or more) clients over the years and the most common approach I've seen is :

1. Initiative > EPIC > Story .    You can use subtasks too but I'm not a fan.
2. Bugs
3. Support Request

NOTE: You have to have a Premium License to support more that 2 levels.  Do it :-) .  That will also give you advanced planning

Do Not try to outsmart the EPIC>Story releationship.   (For example, don't put something betweem them).  Much of the system expects that and you will only create headaches for yourself.

Do Use Components.  Let me say that again.  Do Use Components.   Later when you want to know how much effort it takes to modify part of your system, you can pull all the changes related to a Component.

Applying a little "Agile" to this discussion....

• A Story Should be completed within a Sprint.  If you are consistently missing your dates, make smaller stories.

Assume your software product has 3 main "Systems: Database, Web, and Mobile"

• An Initiative may be to "Integrate AI technology ...."
• Epics could be something like  "IOS changes required for AI Integration", "Backend Changes for AI Integration", etc...
• Stories might be "create new API payload for AI detail", "modify UI with an AI Logo", etc...

Bugs are bugs :-).   Support Requests are driven by Customer Services.

[Leandro Azevedo]

Great aproach! Thank you very much, @David Nickell !

[Rich Allen]

Hi @Leandro Azevedo , happy to share an approach I have used for many years to support Portfolio & Project management within Jira.

With Premium level you have a couple of options, good news is they all revolve around the core hierarchy of Epics --> Story/Task --> Sub-task, this is essentially out of the box.
At the team projects (if you have a team centric approach) , there is the Epics timeline view which allows a level of focus to support these views from day 1.

The additional support which can be done within Jira that I look to setup:

• Create additional work items and position in the work item hierarchy , for example, Project --> Workstream --> Feature --> Epic , this can then be configured within the Jira Plan hierarchy.
• Create Jira Plans that display this hierarchy, allowing for a wide range of filter and display option; Atlassian has evolved Plans (previously Portfolio for Jira, then Advanced Roadmaps) a lot recently to support these sorts of views, showing timeline, progress etc
• Implement Release Version to align with potential project milestones/deliverables

Please let me know if this is a workable solution/answer for you or if you had other questions.

General APM support documentation for Jira can be found through the link below
What is Agile Project Management? [+ How to Start] | Atlassian

Cheers