Can I use JIRA components to represent product components as well as features?

Question

Hello,

I have a 3 tier product. web app: backend: db.

The obvious thing to do is to create 3 corresponding components that capture the overall product areas, and track the work (stories, tasks) as well as bug across such components.

I also like to track overall work across features (that in turn involve work across all components of the product). In that case, what is the best practice in JIRA to capture this aspect? Use labels to identify the feature, and component to identify the product component?

Its easily to forget to apply a label. Hence its use can be inconsistent. Can I add components for product components as well as product features? Can a task/story be a part of more than one component?

Thank you in advance.

alwyn

Alwyn Pereira · Answer

I believe I can make specifying a component as mandatory, while creating an Issue/Bug? I'm not sure if we can make a 'label' as mandatory.

If so, that will ensure that the creator specifies at least one component.

I'm glad we can have multiple components per issue. I can then use components to represent 3 things

The product component where the work/fix is required.

The feature the Issue (work/fix) belongs to.

(optionally) a horizontal theme. e.g. 'security', 'internationalization',

Warren_mz9b4z · Answer

Hi Alwyn

Yes, using Components and Labels is a fairly standard way of differentiating between groups of issues, as you've described.

Your comment about forgetting to add a label is true, but also applies to a Component.

Yes, you can have multiple Components showing on one issue, so we typically use Component to show which mini-project it belongs to, but also whether it relates to say automated testing.