John Almeida Specialist

If you’ve never created a mindmap you’re in for a treat. It’s a great way to brainstorm, study, be creative or simply organize information. Mindmaps are drawn differently than flowcharts. A flowchart shows the flow of information and has a beginning and an end; a mindmap shows information in clusters and everything links…

Here's the guide to building an ERD! We'll be using Gliffy Diagram for Confluence and Jira in the examples below, but feel free to use your diagram tool of choice. 👍 What is an entity relationship diagram (ERD)? ERDs are used for describing data and the rules determining how entities and attributes interact with each…

Looking to create an overview of your business, the market, or a new feature idea? Or maybe you want to figure out a crisis remediation, or a go-to-market strategy? It's time to kick off a SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is a time-tested tool that helps you navigate problems by making an honest evaluation of your strengths,…

What Is a Swimlane Diagram? 🏊 Swimlanes (aka functional bands, multi-column charts, or Rummler-Brache diagrams) illustrate how processes involving multiple contributors progress through their various chronological stages. That may sound complicated, but in practice swimlanes and swimlane diagrams are an elegant way…

Before you start building a house—and certainly before you start picking paint colors or living room furniture—you’ll want to draw a blueprint. It’s the same if you're building a website. One of your first steps when designing a web page or website is to create a wireframe, a diagram that serves as the blueprint for your…

Application programming interfaces (APIs) are a crucial part of how many businesses build out their functionality, but their planning is far from a walk in the park. You need to know any number of potential scenarios that could result from a number of calls, and you need clean, correct functionality on each one. It also…

Whether your business has 5,000 or 5 employees, there will come a time when you’ll need to discuss a plan or present information. When that time comes, you should turn to diagrams in your Confluence or Jira instance. Throughout history, diagrams have helped consolidate and effectively present information. Over time, many…

Have you ever found the exact Confluence page you needed only to stumble upon a multitude of voluminous blocks of text that will eat up hours of your day? 🕒 There are times where blocks of text in Confluence can easily be replaced by a quick visual, saving your team time. I want to share how you can start diagramming in…

Everyone’s diagramming needs are different, which is why Gliffy Diagram for Confluence & Jira made it easy to import any SVG, JPG or PNG image or library of images. Having custom images is a great way of making diagrams fit your individual needs and if you work with a team it's a fast and easy way of establishing shared…

Professional-quality network design calls for logistical intelligence, technical know-how, and an aptitude for clear presentation — that includes graphic design skills. Behold.... Gliffy Diagram for Confluence & Jira was born 🍼 to make network diagramming simple! Elevate your diagrams from the basic to the impressively…

Flowcharts are one of the most versatile diagram types. Companies use flow charts to document complex business processes in Confluence or Jira. Software engineers use them to envision data flow. Hipsters post them online to amuse each other with their snarky witticisms 👓🐈 Regardless of your needs, a flowchart maker (we…

The Department of Defense is diagram-mad! 🤪 Literally, take a generals' word for it. A few years back, two diagrams from within the DoD made it into the mainstream media, one even onto the front page of the New York Times. They were used as examples of Powerpoint-gone-mad, where overzealous bureaucrats and engineers were…

Creating UML diagrams doesn't have to be hard 🙌 Apply the following five pro tips to elevate your UML diagram to the next level. My examples will be shown in Gliffy Diagram for Confluence, but use these tips in any diagramming tool! 5. Remember Your Audience 👏 One common way novice diagram creators stumble is by overdoing…

How to create an AWS diagram in 4 easy steps Making an AWS diagram in Confluence or Jira is fast and simple. I'll show you how to do it in 4 steps. I'll be showing my examples in Gliffy Diagram for Confluence & Jira, but you can use your diagram tool of choice. To set the stage, AWS stands for Amazon Web Services. It’s…

This has been a discussion long debated in our office. To be honest, most of us just dump 💩 a ton of text on a page which quickly dissipates into the ether. Do you take the time to build formatted pages with tables that link to Jira, insert charts or diagrams, or embed Confluence pages within Confluence pages…

This year marks 13 years of Gliffy + Atlassian ❤️. Since Gliffy's inception, we've worked with Atlassian to help code Gliffy's diagram tool, build initial app integrations within Confluence/Jira, and even conceptualize what is now the Atlassian Marketplace. We thought it would be fun to invite the community to stroll down…

Get in your DeLorean and let's do something radical! Show your chops by creating a wicked 80's diagram. Use your favorite diagram tool to build something that takes everyone back to the 80's. What shapes should you use to make your diagram? Take a chill pill, Denise, it's like totally easy to add cool 80s shapes to a…

As you dive into Confluence, diagramming becomes necessary to explain a complex concept, plan or process. And the most popular diagram type, the flowchart, becomes a key player to get your point across. The problem comes when we don't know which shapes to use or what they mean. So let's start from the beginning... What is…