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Building a documentation sign-off workflow - any tips or samples?

Shawn in Van

This is essentially my first day on Jira and I am trying to absorb as much as possible, as quick as possible about Jira.

As a technical writer, I am finding that there isn't a lot of information about how to adapt Jira to my technical writing requirements (or is there?).

For instance, I am trying to build a documentation sign-off workflow. However, before I do that, I need to fully understand how issues and statuses interact as well as transitions.

As a very basic description, I am trying to build a workflow to handle the following:

Create issue - document review

Step 1: document outline review

Step 2: sign-off when review is complete

Step 3: document draft review

Step 4: sign-off when draft iterations are completed and accepted

Step 5: document/design final review

Step 6: sign-off when document is verified as meeting all requirements

Step 7: publish

I am thinking that this is going to be one issue that changes status after each document phase is complete.

I just have to figure out how to build this into a Jira workflow. Any thoughts/tips? I'll be watching some training videos (on You Tube) this evening.

Thank you so much!

Shawn

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Daniel Borcherding

Shawn,

It's not for Jira, but there is a plugin for Confluence that does pretty much exactly what you are looking for.

https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/com.comalatech.workflow

I think it ships with the particular workflow right out of the box. You can tweak things to restrict the reviewers to certain groups or individuals. Drafting the document can be done directly on Confluence. When you are done with your final review you can "Publish" the page out to your instnace. Any subsequent changes that need to be done to the page with automatically go through the workflow that you set up.

Shawn in Van

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for the suggestion.

I was just looking at Confluence earlier today and along with some other forum advice, determined that it wasn't a suitable replacement for MadCap Flare (the tool I will be purchasing shortly).

But... just when I thought that I had no use for Confluence, you make this suggestion. :-)

Perhaps... I do have a use for Confluence, after all?

Since Jira is already the core tool used with 95% of our team, perhaps I should consider using Confluence for the draft phase of my documentation workflow? Originally, I had planned to use Google Docs for building the draft.

Once the draft phase is signed-off, I can move the content directly into MadCap Flare for design and finalizing the document for print/PDF/HTML5 output.

Does this make sense?

The only caveat is that (like with Google Docs), transitioning from draft to MadCap Flare is a one way process. Once in Flare, it is there permanently. So this workflow will only work for new documents.

Thank you for the suggestion.

Shawn in Van

However, any advice on how to build this workflow (without) Confluence is also appreciated. :-)

Justin Leader6

This is very easy to create with JIRA workflows. I recommend making sure you have Greenhopper/Jira Agile because workflows are easier to communicate when you have those. Just study up on creating workflows.

If one group of people do the approvals and one do the drafting, then you can even set up different views of the work customizing for each set of people.

There's no reason to use confluence for this.

Justin Leader6

Please tell me more about the workflow you want to build, who is doing the work and the approvals, and I can give you more advice.

Shawn in Van

Hello Justin,

Sorry for the long pause... and thank you for your offer to assist.

Unfortunately, I do not have the option to install any additional Jira add-ons, at this time. So, I must build a workflow using what is available in the basic install.

I had no trouble creating a workflow but my problem is essentially, trying to understand the basic jira terminology in order to translate my workflow into jira language.

Throughout the workflow, I would be in charge of moving the project allow but I would need Stakeholder sign-off between each significant stage. I will set the assignee manually for each approval stage.

Here is a copy of my jira unfriendly workflow: http://s5.postimg.org/9zfw5gh8n/New_Document_WF_for_jira.jpg

Shawn in Van

Too bad there is no function to flag inappropriate posts.

Shawn in Van

Hello Justin,

Sorry for the long pause... and thank you for your offer to assist.

Unfortunately, I do not have the option to install any additional Jira add-ons, at this time. So, I must build a workflow using what is available in the basic install.

I had no trouble creating a workflow but my problem is essentially, trying to understand the basic jira terminology in order to translate my workflow into jira language.

Shawn in Van

Okay, there is a diligent moderator out there that does the deleting. Thanks for cleaning up.

Now, I wish I could delete my own messages... that are no longer relevant.

Shawn in Van

I guess this is a dead thread now. LOL Waited too long to respond. :-(

Justin Leader6

Still need help on this?

Shawn in Van

Hello Justin,

I will absolutely appreciate any assistance on this little project.

Fortunately, other projects got in the way so this one was safely delayed until November.

Thanks in advance for any insight you may have.

trish edwards1

You need this for OnDemand. Confluence is almost worthless "ondemand" except as a simple wiki.

Shawn in Van

No, I can't use Confluence anyway. I will need to accomplish this workflow task in pure jira (no add-ons).

I really need to get back to this long delayed project. Too bad jira doesn't offer support for technical writing workflows. :-(

Still interested in assistance, if anyone can help. Thank you.

MyLearning DOH

Hi Shawn did you get the DMS working in JIRA, we are looking at a simlar thing and want it entitly in JIRA.

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