Best Way to Track and Document Bioscience Projects in Confluence?

[David Brook]

Hi Atlassian Community,

I’ve been working on a bioscience-focused project called PS1 Bios, and I’m looking to improve how we manage documentation, workflows, and research tracking across a small distributed team.

We’ve been considering using Confluence for:

• Documenting ongoing research findings and articles

• Sharing internal processes and guidelines

• Collaborating on product development updates

Before diving in, I’d love to ask:

• What’s the best way to structure a Confluence space for a content-heavy site like this?

• Are there any templates, macros, or third-party add-ons you’d recommend?

• Would it be overkill for a small team of 3–4, or still worth setting up?

I’d really appreciate feedback from anyone who’s used Confluence (or even Trello/Jira) for content-driven or scientific projects. Thanks in advance!

Best,
David 

[Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM]

Hi @David Brook  — on the quest for the perfect Confluence space.

I'd start with a Retrospective Vibe:

• What worked before Confluence?
• What didn't?
• How did you actually collaborate and share insights?

The build forward from those habits rather than against them.

I prefer a Flexible Frame over a Rigid Blueprint
When it comes to space structure, think modular. Create high-level pages for Research, Internal Processes, and Product Dev — then break those down into child pages as needed.
Resist the temptation to over-categorize upfront. Let your usage patterns guide refinements over time.

Permissions matter. Deciding who can edit, comment, or just read will save you from headaches later, especially when you mention sharing the content.

Marketplace Apps
There are loads of add-ons in the Atlassian Marketplace, the rabbit hole runs deep. 
I won't recommend one vendor over another, explore a built-in templates first (like the Decision Log or How-To Article) to see what sticks. Once you get a feel for what’s missing, then consider a marketplace dive.

Is It Overkill for 3–4 People?
Well… that depends. I don't thinks so, however the smaller the team the more ad-hoc I like the design.

[Jim Knepley - ReleaseTEAM]

To add to what @Shawn Doyle - ReleaseTEAM suggested, drawing from my experience as a sometimes frustrated Confluence user:

Organize content in spaces by subject, not by use. For example, if you have content for ProjectX and ProjectY, and you want a quick summary card for each that's separate from the main documentation, don't create spaces for "Summary cards" and "Research." Instead, create spaces for "ProjectX" and "ProjectY." It's better to have to update content in one space vs. multiple spaces, and much easier to find content later if it's all in one space.

"But, but..." I hear someone say, "What if I want different permissions for summary cards than I do for research?" That's a fair point, and I would say for a team as small as yours, it's not worth worrying about (or you can use page restrictions).