Socializing understanding of due dates

Question

We are using Jira to manage the full workflow in our organization. This means our audience of users has a broad range of backgrounds, and many are new to the basic concepts of a ticketing system.

One thing we are having challenges with is having folks understand difference in meaning between different types of due dates (eg start date, due date, baseline start date, baseline end date), etc. AND there is a lot of swirl in terms of understanding the distinction between effort (hands to keyboard, active work time) and duration (the elapsed time it takes something to get done.)

We are modifying tool tips/field definitions to help address this, and considering use of an infographic to help reinforce the organizational change management/understanding of these concepts. And maybe a fun Jeopardy-style game at an All Staff meeting to help reinforce these concepts/understandings.

I'm curious what others have encountered in terms of challenges like this, AND how they have resolved them creatively.

Bill Sheboy · Answer

Hi @Lisa Yeager

In my opinion, it is both a good and a bad thing that Jira is so configurable (and continually improving)...leading not just to "feature / field sprawl" but also collision, confusion, etc.  Sticking with the "good" from configuration...

Perhaps start by understanding your value stream, and creating a visual and glossary of terms that matter to your organization, and what / why you measure things to support flow.  Then remembering "Jira is just a tool", where possible, configure Jira to help communicate the value stream effectively...and, investigate how to mitigate where it does not help.  This will take support and effective change management from the various Jira admin levels to align to the org's methods, and perhaps addition of marketplace apps for better visualization and reporting.  With that in hand, a "decoder ring" may be added to your visual for Jira terminology and your value stream, showing where they align (or do not).

Something else you noted is more fundamental, perhaps indicating learning opportunities for people regarding flow:

* what is the big picture; what matters and why
* how does ideation happen
* how is work selected, prioritized, organized, managed, sustained, sunset, etc.
* what does it mean to say, "Estimate Size; Derive Duration" in forecasting
* what is measured and, why, how, and how are the measurements used
* how do different teams and the capabilities they provide contribute
* ...

Once understood, many of these could be gamified as you describe, included in onboarding, periodic reinforcement, etc.

Kind regards,
Bill