Hi CUG Leaders!
Some members of your Community User Group may know Jira inside out, while others are just beginning to explore Confluence or another Atlassian product. That range of experience is an opportunity: the people already putting a product to work can help their peers learn faster, solve real problems, and feel more confident trying something new.
Creating internal champions does not mean asking one expert to answer every question. It means giving interested members a manageable way to share what works, connect others to the right resources, and bring feedback back to the group. Here are five ways to help product champions grow in your CUG.
1. Start with a specific product and a real need
Rather than recruiting a general “Atlassian expert,” look for a need your members already talk about: improving Jira workflows, organizing knowledge in Confluence, or helping teams adopt a new feature. Ask members where they get stuck and what examples they would find useful. A clear product focus and practical goal make it easier for a potential champion to say yes and easier for the group to see the value of their help.
Keep the first goal small. A Jira champion might show how their team uses boards to make work visible; a Confluence champion might share a page template that makes project handoffs easier. One concrete use case is a better starting point than a promise to cover everything a product can do.
2. Invite practitioners, not just power users
Champions do not need to know every feature. Look for members who are curious, generous with what they have learned, and willing to describe both successes and missteps. Someone who recently worked through a common setup challenge may be especially helpful to beginners because the questions are still fresh in their mind.
Make the invitation personal and specific. Ask a member to co-host a short demo, bring an example to a roundtable, or answer a few questions during office hours. Offer a co-facilitator and time to prepare. A bounded role feels much more approachable than an open-ended request to “be our Jira person.”
3. Give champions a simple way to share what works
Help each champion turn experience into something other members can use. A brief show-and-tell can follow a repeatable pattern: the problem, the product setup or practice they tried, what changed, and what they would do differently next time. Encourage screenshots, sample workflows, or reusable templates when they can be shared safely; remind presenters to remove sensitive information first.
Vary the format to fit the audience. A live Confluence page-building session might help newcomers, while a Jira workflow clinic could let experienced members compare approaches. Save the takeaways in an accessible place so the learning remains useful after the event.
4. Support a network, not a single hero
One enthusiastic volunteer can start a conversation, but a durable champion program needs shared ownership. Pair newer advocates with experienced members, rotate who leads sessions, and invite different perspectives from teams using the same product. That keeps the advice grounded in more than one workflow and prevents one person from becoming the default support desk.
Be clear about boundaries, too. Champions can share examples, facilitate peer learning, and point members toward documentation or the right support channel. They should not be expected to resolve every technical issue or speak on behalf of Atlassian. Give them a place to compare notes with CUG leaders and ask for help when a question is outside their experience.
5. Recognize contributions and keep the feedback flowing
Thank champions publicly, with their permission, for the specific value they brought: a useful demo, a thoughtful answer, or a template others can adapt. Recognition can be as simple as a shout-out in the event recap or an invitation to help shape a future session. Ask what support would make participation easier, and respect when someone needs to step back.
After each product-focused activity, ask members what they tried, what still feels confusing, and what they would like to learn next. Share that feedback with champions and use it to plan the next discussion. When members see that their questions shape the CUG calendar, champion-led learning becomes an ongoing exchange rather than a one-time presentation.
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Internal champions can make Jira, Confluence, and other Atlassian products feel less abstract and more useful in members’ day-to-day work. Start with a real need, invite approachable practitioners, give them a small platform and support network, and show that their contributions matter.
For your next CUG gathering, try asking one member to share a practical product example and invite the group to bring questions. That small first step can spark a wider circle of people who are ready to learn from and champion one another.
Public Resources You Can Share with Your Group
