Advanced Roadmap Question

Question

Hi! We are looking to see if we can recreated a workflow of Parent Epics in one of our projects, similar to how we have workflows in AHA.

We are trying to reduce our tech stack and we have the AHA & JIRA integration right now, but if we can move this fully in to JIRA that would be great.

For example our current AHA workflow includes swimlanes like Discovery, In Scoping, In Development, Testing, Parked, Shipped, etc. Appreciate your time in advance!

Candice Cleaveland · Answer

Hi Maria! This is so helpful thank you so much.

We replicated the steps creating a new project, mirroring the swimlanes we had in AHA, and ensuring the proper custom fields are there.

The next item we are running into an issue with is we have a separate project in JIRA (called TDS) where we have all feature projects, epics, issues in flight managed. This has the master timeline and master Kanban board our Development team works out of.

What we are trying to achieve is: Create a board view that includes the AHA swimlanes, separate from this TDS Kanban Board, but containing the same parent epics.

Is there a way to either:
a) create another board inside of the TDS project that exists
b) allow the parent epics to exist in both the original TDS project AND the new project we created with the different swim lanes?

Mary from Planyway · Answer

Hi @Candice Cleaveland

It's Mary from Planyway

Migrating your workflow from AHA to Jira, especially to manage Parent Epics with a similar structure and process flow, involves several steps to ensure that your team can maintain or even enhance its operational efficiency in Jira. Here's a structured approach to recreate your AHA workflow in Jira for Parent Epics:

1. Understand Your Current AHA Workflow

Before making any changes, it's crucial to have a detailed understanding of your current workflow in AHA, including how Parent Epics are managed across different stages like Discovery, In Scoping, In Development, Testing, Parked, and Shipped. Document each step and any automation or special conditions applied.

2. Setup Your Project in Jira

If you haven't already, create a new project in Jira where you will migrate your workflow. Decide whether a Classic or Next-Gen project best suits your needs. Classic projects offer more customization and are suited for complex workflows, while Next-Gen projects are simpler to set up and manage.

3. Customize Workflow for Parent Epics

In Jira, workflows define the status and transitions of issues. To replicate your AHA workflow, you'll need to customize a Jira workflow:

* Create Statuses: For each swimlane or stage in your AHA workflow (Discovery, In Scoping, etc.), create a corresponding status in Jira.
* Configure Transitions: Define how issues can move from one status to another. Ensure that the transitions make sense for your process, including any conditions, validators, or post-functions.
* Apply Workflow to Issue Types: Ensure the customized workflow is applied to the Parent Epics issue type or create a new issue type if necessary.

4. Configure Swimlanes in Boards

Jira boards (Scrum or Kanban) visually represent your workflow. You can configure swimlanes based on queries, issue types, or statuses to match your AHA stages. This setup will help you visualize the progress of Parent Epics through different stages.

5. Custom Fields and Screens

If your AHA workflow utilizes custom fields (like specific attributes for Discovery or Testing stages), you'll need to create these fields in Jira and add them to the appropriate screens. This ensures that all necessary information can be captured and displayed for each Parent Epic.

6. Automation

Jira Automation can help replicate any automated processes you had in AHA, such as moving an Epic to "In Development" when all linked stories are "Ready for Development". Explore Jira Automation rules to automate status transitions, notifications, and other repetitive tasks.

7. Permissions and Roles

Ensure that your team members have the appropriate permissions to work with the new workflow. This includes creating, editing, transitioning, and viewing issues. Jira's permission schemes allow for detailed control.