Make Meetings Matter: How to Shape Your Teamwork with Jira and Confluence + free training
BONUS at the bottom đŁ
Getting started with Jira is excitingâbut it can also feel overwhelming. How do you structure your teamâs work efficiently? How do you keep everyone aligned without drowning in meetings?
The key is to set up the right workflows and communication habits early, so your team can focus on delivering work instead of constantly chasing updates. Here are some essential strategies to help you make the most of Jira from the start:
1ď¸âŁ Structure Stand-Ups & Sprint Planning for Clarity and Efficiency
Stand-ups should be short (ideally under 15 minutes) and focused on three key questions:
â
What did you complete yesterday?
â
What are you working on today?
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Do you have any blockers?
đ How Jira helps:
- Use a Jira board with clearly defined statuses (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Review, Done) so team members can quickly update their progress.
- Encourage team members to update their tickets before the stand-up to avoid wasting time repeating whatâs already visible.
- Use Jira filters like "My Open Tasks" to ensure everyone focuses on their immediate priorities.
2ď¸âŁ Use Automation, Templates & Loom for Async Updates
Not all updates require a live meeting. By automating routine tasks and using templates, you can reduce unnecessary discussions and keep work moving smoothly.
đ How Jira helps:
- Set up automation rules (e.g., "When a task is moved to âReview,â automatically assign it to a reviewer"). This reduces manual work and speeds up processes.
- Create task templates for recurring work (e.g., bug reports, content creation). This ensures consistency and saves time.
- Use Loom or Confluence for asynchronous updatesârecord quick video updates instead of scheduling yet another meeting.
Bonus tip: Encourage your team to comment directly on Jira issues instead of using Slack or email for updates. This keeps all the context in one place.
3ď¸âŁ Avoid Unnecessary Meetings â Replace Status Updates with Dashboards
One of the biggest time-wasters in teams is meetings that donât add value. Many updates can be handled asynchronously if you set up the right Jira views.
đ How Jira helps:
- Use Jira Dashboards to give team leads and stakeholders an overview of work in progress, upcoming deadlines, and blockers.
- Set up filters and subscriptions to send automated reports instead of holding long status update meetings.
- Define clear meeting guidelines: If a meeting doesnât have an agenda, it probably doesnât need to happen.
Pro tip: Before scheduling a meeting, ask: âCan this be solved with a Jira update instead?â If the answer is yes, donât book the meeting!
4ď¸âŁ Leverage Jira for Better Communication & Collaboration
Jira isnât just for tracking tasksâitâs a collaboration hub that can keep your entire team aligned. But only if you use it correctly!
đ Best practices for better communication:
- Use @mentions in Jira comments to notify specific teammates instead of sending separate emails or Slack messages.
- Encourage consistent ticket descriptions so that all relevant details (scope, priority, deadlines) are included from the start.
- Create custom fields and labels to categorize tasks and make searching easier.
Pro tip: Make Jira your single source of truthâif itâs not in Jira, it doesnât exist! This prevents confusion and ensures everyone has access to the latest information.
By implementing these best practices early, youâll set your team up for better collaboration, fewer meetings, and a more efficient workflow.
Whatâs been your biggest challenge in setting up Jira for your team? Drop your thoughts below! đ
đŁđŁđŁ BONUS: Next week is a webinar with Atlassian Work Modern Coach - Mark and we will talk about how to share teamwork efficiently.
Making Meetings Matter â How to Use Jira for Better Team Communication
đ 03/ 17, 11 AM CDT
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