What is JQL: functions, history, and sorting
Like in math class, functions in Jira boil down complex logic and make it easy for you to access and use in a simple way. Here’s how they work in JQL.
JQL: the most flexible way to search Jira
JQL stands for Jira Query Language and is the most powerful and flexible way to search for your issues in Jira. JQL is for everyone: developers, testers, agile project managers, and business users. This blog is intended to be a tutorial for those who have no experience with database queries to those who want faster access to […]
4 best practices for sprint planning meetings
This article is the second in a series on agile ceremonies. Learn how we do sprint retrospectives, too. So let’s walk through four tenets of sprint planning we find most helpful.
Getting the most out of JQL with Atlassian Marketplace add-ons
One of the great things about Jira is that it is easily extensible. It’s extensiblity layer makes it easy to add new features or extend existing ones. JQL is no exception in that regard. There are a number of plugins for Jira on the Atlassian Marketplace that enhance JQL. You can also develop custom functions […]
7 steps to a beautiful and useful agile dashboard
Greetings agile fans! A question I often get is how to configure Jira’s dashboards to show content that’s relevant for agile teams. It’s really just a matter of choosing the right elements. We’ll focus on a dashboard for a scrum team here, but many of these tips apply to kanban teams as well. If you […]
How to build a kick-ass agile team
Despite sharing common values, there is no formula for the perfect agile team. Some implement scrum while others use kanban. Agile purists prefer co-located teams, but business realities sometimes necessitate distributing an agile team across geographies. Most agile teams possess all the required skills, but sometimes it’s necessary to call on specialists for specific work. So how do you know whether your team is on the path to greatness? Read on.
Who’s who in agile teams?
Agile teams are structurally different than their waterfall counterparts. Agile teams focus on the team itself, whereas waterfall teams often follow the structure of the organization. As I was learning scrum, one of the questions that kept coming to mind was, “How do development managers and scrum masters share responsibilities in the team?” Let’s explore the answer to this question.
The smoke test: the golden arrow in an admin’s quiver
Software teams have long benefitted from using a smoke test to quickly validate a new software build. The smoke test is designed to verify basic functionality and the most common problems that appear in the product. Using a structured smoke test makes managing change across your Confluence instance much easier as it’s an easily reproducible test any administrator can perform. In this article we’ll cover how to use the admin tools to verify integrity, how to generate a good content test bed, and how to run those tests.
Atlassian’s Agile Coach goes TAM
Hey everyone! Dan, the agile TAM here. Many of you know me as a frequent author here on atlstg.reaktivdev.com, where I’ve written about Jira, agile, Jira Agile, and software development best practices. I joined Atlassian as the Agile Evangelist three years ago, and recently made the transition over to our Technical Account Management (TAM) team.
3 steps to taming technical debt with Jira
Learn how to reduce technical debt.
Inside Atlassian: stand-ups for distributed and co-located teams
Stand-up is one of the fundamental parts of agile development, and it’s often the most misunderstood. Let’s be real: stand-ups by themselves don’t make your team agile. They aren’t about inflating egos or justifying job descriptions. They aren’t a time to plan; Sprint planning is for planning. They also aren’t the only time to mention blockers. If you’re stuck, ask for help!
Inside Atlassian: three steps for better sprint reviews
In the late afternoon on Fridays you can often hear clapping and cheering throughout the Atlassian office. Here, we work hard, play hard, and celebrate our successes in the form of sprint reviews. Sprint reviews are not retrospectives. A sprint review is about demonstrating the hard work of the entire team: designers, developers, and the product owner. At Atlassian we like to keep our sprint reviews casual. Team members gather around a desk for informal demos and describe the work they’ve done for that iteration. It’s a time to ask questions, try new features, and give feedback. Sharing in success is an important part of building an agile team.
Form nimble agile teams
With agile, it’s easy to talk about processes, ceremonies, and workflows. But it’s also easy to lose sight of the team. In this article, we’ll explore the dynamics of forming nimble agile teams and how to configure Jira to support multiple teams. Plus, you’ll learn additional tips from the Jira team on how to optimize work across a set of teams.
Watch the Jira Keynote from Summit 2014
2014 has been an exciting year for software teams here at Atlassian. During the Jira keynote at Atlassian Summit 2014, we highlighted all of the changes and improvements (both past and present) that our teams are most excited about. In case you missed it, here is a recap of those highlights from what was our biggest […]
4 tips to get more out of Jira with keyboard shortcuts
I’ve been a Jira Software administrator for some time now and have worked with hundreds of customers’ instances. I’m often asked, ‘How can I get more out of Jira Software?’ I always give the same answer: learn the keyboard shortcuts. Nothing will improve your speed throughout Jira Software more than keyboard shortcuts. From creating issues, assigning work, and even administering […]