How to Build a High-Performance Jira KPI Dashboard

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The logic behind a Jira dashboard is simple: see what matters in seconds with as little effort as possible.

While gathering data is easy, getting real value depends on the gadgets you choose. In this guide, we will build a KPI Monitoring dashboard using a mix of native Jira and Timepiece - Time in Status for Jira gadgets.

We will focus on four critical metrics:

Efficiency by Story Size: Lead Time & Cycle Time (powered by Timepiece)

Flow & Health: Sprint Health Gadget (Native Jira)

Team’s Sprint Performance: Assignee Duration (powered by Timepiece)

Execution: Sprint Burndown Gadget (Native Jira)

Step-by-Step Guide: Building the KPI Command Center

Go to Dashboards in the left navigation bar and select the + button to create a new dashboard.

Name it clearly, let’s say KPI Monitoring.

Efficiency KPIs: Lead Time & Cycle Time (Timepiece)

Out-of-the-box Jira reports aren’t designed to accurately handle Time in Status, since they include weekends and non-working hours, which can skew your data. In this guide, we’ll solve this using the Timepiece gadget with Custom Calendars and precise status grouping. 

Add the Gadget: Search for Timepiece - Time in Status for Jira in the gadget directory.

In the Select Issues menu, choose Custom JQL and filter your work items.

Select Status Duration from the Report Type menu. Change the Data Type to Average and set the Group By field to Story Point.

Then, in the Status menu, add 2 new consolidated Columns. That is because we don't want to see every single status. Instead, create two consolidated columns:

Cycle Time

Group your active statuses here (e.g., Implementation, Selected for Development, Analysis).

Lead Time

Group all statuses from start to finish (e.g., Backlog, Analysis, Implementation, Selected for Development).

Calendar: That is the crucial part. Incorrect data is worse than no data. To exclude holidays, nights, and weekends from your data, select your team's "Working Hours" calendar. This ensures that you only measure effort, not just elapsed time.

Here is the result:

Pro Tip: After setup, choose your preferred view from the top left for chart view: List, Bar, Line, or Column.

Stability KPIs: Sprint Health Gadget (Native)

This native gadget tells you if your team is keeping up with demand or slowly drowning in technical debt.

Add the Gadget: Search for Sprint Health Gadget by Atlassian.

 
Select your preferred board and toggle the checkboxes to complete the setup.

Here is how it looks:

Resource KPIs: Assignee Duration

Add a new Timepiece gadget and choose ''Assignee Duration" in the Report Type settings.

This instantly shows how work is shared across the team. That means no need for manual time logging. It helps managers spot who is overworked and move tasks around to keep the sprint on track.

Here is how it looks:

You can read our workload distribution article to prevent burnout and balance workload in Jira.

Sprint Burndown Gadget

We also need to track the current iteration's heartbeat. That is crucial. To do that, add the Sprint Burndown Gadget, by Atlassian.

Board: Unlike other gadgets that use filters, this one requires you to select your Scrum Board.

Sprint: Set this to "Auto" or "Active Sprint". This ensures the gadget automatically updates when you close Sprint 1 and start Sprint 2, so no need for manual reconfiguration. 

Here is how it looks:

 You now have a central hub to track performance.

Use it to keep stakeholders aligned with trusted data and visualize your most important metrics in seconds.

A centralized Jira KPI dashboard is a strategic necessity for high-performing teams. By consolidating Timepiece's Time in Status metrics with native Jira gadgets, you eliminate the friction of manual reporting and replace it with a 10-second pulse check. This setup provides the transparency needed to see exactly how workload spikes impact Cycle Time and team capacity in real time. Ultimately, this Command Center transforms Jira into a reliable Information Radiator. It ensures your team stays aligned and focused on delivery rather than hunting for data. 

To learn more about Timepiece - Time in Status for Jira, visit its Atlassian Marketplace page.