Reproduce backlog hierarchy from TFS to JIRA

Question

We want to display the backlog hierache, we already have in TFS, in JIRA.

In TFS we have epics on the highest level. Epics are different projects to which we can assign different features. A feature is subdivided in product backlog items and the product backlog item is subdivided in tasks.

Epic --> Feature --> Product Backlog Item --> Task

How can we display this hierarchy in JIRA? There are one hierarchy level less in JIRA?

In the JIRA Backlog we can create different issue types (task, story, bug, epic) which are all on the same hierarchy level.
Furthermore we can create superordinate epics to which we can assign the single issue types. (It's a littel bit unusual to subordinate epics to an epic!?) It is also possible to create sub-tasks for every issue type.

Is it correct, that the epics in JIRA are similar to the features in TFS?

Many thanks in advance!

Best

Manfred

Tarun Sapra · Answer

The Scrum board doesn't support initiative/theme . There is a dedicated Epic panel but not for types above the Epic level i.e. in your boards you will get story and initiative at the same level if you use the simple filter (project = X) thus you need to use a filter which ignore initiatives in scrum boards. As they are also not required while planning since initiatives are generally 3-6 months of work thus Epics and stories are fine when it comes to Sprint level work.

Manfred Hofelich · Answer

Hello Tarun Sapra,

thank you very much! I think this page describes your proposed solution very good? https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfoliocloud/configuring-initiatives-and-other-hierarchy-levels-828785179.html

But in this case I can only see the themes in JIRA Portfolio!? It is possible to add the themes as an superordinate level at the backlog of the board?

Tarun Sapra · Answer

Hello Manfred,

Is it correct, that the epics in JIRA are similar to the features in TFS?

Yes, that's correct. Also, JIRA doesn't enforce anyhierarchy such that you can have subtasks for Epic which isn't ideal but you can have that.

I have been part of TFS to JIRA migration. And the issuesType mappin is as follows

TFS - Epic --> Feature --> Product Backlog Item --> Task

JIRA - Theme/Initiative -> Epic -> Story -> Sub-task

Theme/Initiative can be used to represent work which spans 3-6 months can be a project or a phase of an existing project liek Phase -1, Phase -2

For visualising this hierarchy try using JIRA portfolio plugin wherein you can add Epics to Themes and do roadmap planning as well.

While on Scrum boards you can map stories to epic in the epic panel.

You can also use Kanban boards for refinenement of product backlog and once it's refined then start work on them on the scrum boards. Such that first few statuses of the workflow can be used by POs on Kanban board and next statuses used by the Dev team on the Scrum Board.