New Board Set up to reflect workflow advice

[Sarah Isaacs]

Hi

I am trying to set up a new style of Jira board for our books projects.

To create a book it takes 100 individual steps. These steps are covered by 5 types of people. Writers, Illustrators, Designers, Pre U Editors. The workflow can take 9/10 sprints. Sprints are around 4 weeks. 

My thought was to create a board with approx. 13 columns (To do, Writing Kick off, Writing 1st draft, 2draft, 3rd final draft, Illustration roughs, Illustration Colours, Illustration Review, Design, External review, Upload,  Done.) We would also need 1 column that reflected if a book was sat waiting for an illustrator to pick a book up - Illustration backlog column.

So a book would be an epic that travels through the workflow process above.

When the card (Parent) moved into a column the sub tasks (steps) were added to the card. I.e. the sub tasks for the Kick off column would be: 1. meet with PO,  2. write synopsis, 3, Create storyboard, 4. Review and sign off Storyboard. 

I then thought that once all these subtasks were completed the card could move to done and then create a linked card for the next column and therefore a set of sub tasks related to that column.

This would achieve the team knowing where the book sat in production, what their smaller tasks were and the ability to set a sprint goal of a card that contained a set of sub tasks.

I hope this makes sense.

So what I am asking is what do you think? could I do this a better way? is there anything that would help?

We are also hoping this may allow us to do a little bit of tracking in terms of helping us to visibly see how long something takes at a particular stage - column.

I look forward to hearing your feedback?

Thank you in advance

[Ignacio Aredez GenAI Expert · Accepted solution]

Your approach to setting up a new Jira board for your book projects is well-thought-out and seems tailored to the complexities of your production process. Structuring your workflow with a detailed board that reflects each stage of book creation, from the writing kickoff to the final upload, is a strategic way to manage and visualize progress. Let's break down your strategy and explore potential optimizations and considerations to ensure you get the most out of Jira for your project needs.

Workflow and Board Structure
Your proposed board structure with approximately 13 columns to represent each stage of the process is a good start. The addition of an "Illustration backlog" column to manage waiting periods for illustrators is particularly insightful, as it helps in identifying bottlenecks and managing resource allocation more effectively.

Epics and Sub-tasks Management
Treating each book as an epic that moves through the workflow is a sound strategy. This allows for a high-level view of each book's progress while enabling detailed tracking through sub-tasks. Automatically adding sub-tasks as the parent card moves into a new column is a great idea for ensuring that all necessary steps are accounted for at each stage. However, Jira's default settings might not support the automatic creation and transition of sub-tasks based on the parent card's movement between columns directly.

Suggestions and Enhancements
Automation: Utilize Jira's automation rules to streamline your process. While Jira might not directly support automatically adding sub-tasks upon moving to a new column, you can set up automation rules to create tasks or trigger reminders for manual creation. Consider automations for:

Creating linked issues (which could act as sub-tasks) when a card moves to a new column.
Auto-assigning tasks to individuals or groups based on the column or issue type.
Sending notifications to relevant team members when issues move to a new stage or are completed.
Board Configuration: Consider using a Kanban board for continuous flow or a Scrum board if you're working in sprints. Given your sprint structure, a Scrum board might be more suitable, but Kanban boards are excellent for visualizing workflow and identifying bottlenecks.

Custom Issue Types and Workflows: You might benefit from creating custom issue types for each sub-task related to a specific column. This way, you can tailor the workflow of each issue type to match the specific needs of that stage in the book production process.

Reporting and Tracking: Utilize Jira's reporting features to track how long tasks take in each column. Consider configuring a custom field to log the date when an issue enters a column and another when it leaves, to calculate duration. Jira's dashboards can be used to create visual representations of this data, helping identify stages that may require process improvement.

Resource Management: For the "Illustration backlog" column, consider implementing a system to prioritize tasks or visually indicate urgency so that illustrators can efficiently pick up their next assignments.

Continuous Improvement: Regularly review your workflow and board configuration to identify opportunities for improvement. Engage your team in retrospectives to gather feedback on the process and implement changes as necessary.

Final Thoughts
Your initial setup is a solid foundation. By incorporating automation, custom configurations, and utilizing Jira's reporting capabilities, you can further refine your process to be more efficient and transparent. Remember, the goal is not just to track work but to create a system that supports your team's efficiency and productivity.

If you haven't already, exploring Jira Marketplace for plugins that could further support your workflow might unveil additional tools specifically designed for complex project management like book production.

Your proactive approach to visualizing and managing the book creation process is commendable, and with iterative improvements, your Jira board will become an even more powerful tool for your team.