How do I break up a project into smaller deliverables?

[sc-ori]

We want to use JIRA Agile for a large project.  We like the idea of sprints which are small test-able deliverables. However, I don't know how to break up the features (issues) so that I have my main project with sub-projects that each may have a few sprints to complete.  I don't want all my issues to be lumped together in the backlog, as that is unmanageable, but I do want to be able to look at a "sub-project" and it's sprints and issues.  Is there a way to accomplish this?  I thought I could do this with

(1) Epics, but I don't see how I can assign a sprint to an Epic.

(2) Pre-Creating sprints and pre-populating them with issues, but they may have to be moved around if the sprints are really too large

(3) Creating many separate projects that are really parts of the whole, and managing them separately.

Any help is appreciated.  Thanks!

Meryl

[Pilar]

1. I would recommend that you break down your project in several large epics (which you are referring to here as sub-projects). Then you create several user-stories (or features) in those epics.
   You do not need to assign an entire epic to a sprint, as epic is supposed to a massiv containing tens of user stories, all of which will take several sprints to finish.
   Your sprints will contain tasks/features from several (or one) epic, which you and your team thinks can deliver within the sprint duration.
2. Thats fine if you have to move issues within sprints. What you should really be worried about is the next upcoming sprint and whether the deliverables are estimated well and are achievable. 
3.  I would really not recommend creating multiple projects unless you have to. But it is your choice. I do not know about the details on your project.

Hope this helps.

See these links as well

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/AGILE/Working+with+Epics

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/AGILE/Working+with+Sprints

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/AGILE/Tutorial+-+Planning+and+Estimating+work+for+an+Agile+team

Pilar