Tuesday Jira Vibes — Common mistakes new Jira users make (and how to avoid them)

[Daria Kulikova_GitProtect_io]

Starting something new always comes with mistakes — and that’s how we learn. But let’s be honest: learning from someone else’s mistakes is way better, right? 🙂

So for today’s Jira Tuesday Vibes, let’s look at a few common mistakes new Jira users can make:

Mistake # 1 - Treat Jira as a simple task list

New users can often treat Jira as a to-do app instead of a workflow engine. As a result, they may ignore statuses, transitions, and process logic, which can lead to chaos later.

Tips to avoid the mistake ✨:

• Learn your team’s workflow so that you can understand what each status and transition actually means.
• Move issues through the proper transitions instead of jumping straight to “Done.”
• Add clear descriptions and acceptance criteria so Jira tracks work, not just tasks.
• Check the team board regularly instead of relying only on your personal task list.
• Use the workflow as designed to keep progress visible, predictable, and accurate for everyone.

Mistake # 2 - Create too many projects

Beginners often can spin up new projects for every team or initiative instead of using components, labels, or boards. It can lead to fragmentation and configuration duplication.

Tips to avoid the mistake ✨:

• Use components and labels within a single project to organize different teams or initiatives.
• Create boards instead of new projects to manage different workflows or teams.
• Review existing projects before starting a new one to avoid duplication.
• Consolidate related work under one project whenever possible for easier reporting.
• Establish project naming conventions and guidelines to keep the Jira instance clean.

Mistake # 3 - Misuse of issue types and hierarchy

Jira users who are only at the beginning of their journey might confuse epics, stories, tasks, and subtasks. It can lead to disorganized backlogs and broken reporting.

Tips to avoid the mistake ✨:

• Use Epics for large bodies of work and group related stories under them.
• Create Stories to represent individual features or user requirements.
• Use Tasks for non-feature work or smaller pieces of work outside epics.
• Break down complex Stories or Tasks into Subtasks for clarity and tracking.
• Follow a consistent hierarchy and educate your team on the purpose of each issue type.

Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive — these are just a few of the most common mistakes (... and what to hide, some of them I made — guilty 🙈).

Now, I’d love to hear from you: What mistakes did you make when you were starting your Jira journey, and what lessons did you learn from them?

Let’s turn this discussion into a space where new Jira users can learn from others’ experiences and avoid common pitfalls! 🙂

[Robert Quinn]

• Learning how to say "No" and that it is a CORE skill for the Jira Admin role.  
• Not leveraging your PMO and Internal Audit teams - Standards are Critical and the AUDIT hammer can help you.  No one wants to fail an audit - so Processes and Procedures built from the ground up with IT general controls and any legislative requirements in mind (Sarbane-oxley/HIPPA/ETC.) is a great way to start.
• The Past is Dead, a Habit is not a Need - change is life and life is hard.