Project Hierarchy in JIRA

[James Kohler]

A bit of background:

I just started as a product manager at a tech company that designs HW and the SW that operates our devices.

Our devices are installed in the field, and communicate with the servers back at our HQ. So we have a HW/SW package installed in the field, and a "backend" SW package at my office.

I am new to JIRA, but I am trying to re-organize my project's JIRA ticketing system. However, I am trying to understand the hierarchy of JIRA’s categories. I have come up with the following scheme, assuming I work on a product called Widget2000:

Project (The device, Widget2000)

|

Program (Firmware builds for the Widget2000, E.G. Widget2000 2.4.3, which well be working on the next 6-8 months)

|

Epics (Major features of the 2.4.3 firmware build, E.G. ‘Detects all earthquakes,’ ‘Share data with other Widget2000’s in the field’)

|

Issue/Tasks (Steps taken to achieve each epic, E.G. ‘Modify earthquake module sensitivity,’ ‘Store earthquake data in new struct,’ ‘Routine for sending earthquake data to other Widget2000s,’ ‘routine for receiving earthquake data’)

|

Subtask (Steps to achieve specific issue/task)

Other than general feedback on this hierarchy, my greatest uncertainty is should firmware builds be at the Program or Epic level?

Thanks!

[GabrielleJ]

There is no proper way but generally, it is always user preference. As far as the native JIRA features are concerned, what Marc outlined above is the most natural thing to do, utilizing the 'Versions', 'Epic' which can be broken down to 'Stories' and still can be broken down to smaller 'sub-tasks' (this is the hierarchy of the tickets). Take a look at the "Component" feature of JIRA too for categorizing tickets on a different view.

[James Kohler]

So would a new firmware build ticket be at the "Program" level or the "JIRA (Agile)Epic" level?

[GabrielleJ]

I reckon that will be the "JIRA Version", not a level and not including in the issue hierarchy. It's a way of saying that "All these Epics/Stories/Tasks will be delivered to this version of the product"

[James Kohler]

is "JIRA Version" the same thing as "Fix Version"? Also, I don't understand why "All these epics/stories/tasks" would not fall under a 'program' ticket for a version of the product? As I said I am new to JIRA so I'm a bit confused about how its structured.

[Marc Minten _EVS_]

Hi,

Not sure understanding your case completely but I think

• Your project (Widget2000) = JIRA Project
• Your program (Widget2000 2.4.3) = JIRA project version (version 2.4.3 in the project Widget2000)
• Your Epic = JIRA (Agile) Epic
• Your Issue/Task = JIRA issue (Story in an Agile environment, Task, ..)
• Your subtask = JIRA subtask

Hope this helps

[James Kohler]

Yeah that is how I have it structured. I am asking if this is considered "proper" structure in JIRA?