Set Up PIs and Sync Sprints to Align Jira Software and Jira Align Sprints

[#1]

Follow these best practices to setup PIs and sync sprints to align Jira Software and Jira Align sprints:

1. Determine program increment cadence and mapping to programs (quarterly is typical) and create program increments.
2. Create sync sprints for the program increment spanning the length of the PI.  These will be place holder dates for future sprints in Jira until they are activated.
3. Publish the sync sprint cadence to Jira scrum masters to ensure proper sprint alignment between Jira Software and Jira Align.

Notes:

• Jira Align pairs Jira Software sprints to Jira Align sync dates based on the end date of the sprints plus or minus the buffer day range established under Jira Align Jira Software Setup.
• Jira Align predicts future sprint dates as they come over from Jira by using the active Jira sprint as a baseline and setting the start and end dates of future sprints to the subsequent sync sprint date period, because Jira does not have future dates.
• All sprints created on a board in Jira mapped to Jira Align will take the date of a sync sprint placeholder. This means “bucket and planning” sprints from Jira will interfere with future sprint alignment between Jira Align and Jira Software.

[Shawn Kessler]

@Tim Keyes another great article--we are grateful for your knowledge of Jira-Jira Align best practices.