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How to Set Up a Scrum Board in Jira
Edited 4 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team
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Setting up a Scrum board in Jira can seem like a daunting task, especially for those who are new to Jira or Agile methodologies. However, by following a few simple steps, you can quickly create and customize a Scrum board that fits your team's needs, allowing you to efficiently plan, manage, and track a project.
Introduction to JIRA and Scrum board
JIRA is a versatile project management tool developed by Atlassian. It is widely used by Agile teams around the world, especially for software development projects. One of the key features of JIRA is the Scrum board, which helps teams visualize work, manage backlogs, and see the status of work items during a sprint.
A Scrum board is essentially a visual representation of your project going through various stages. It displays user stories, tasks, and progress so that all team members can understand which items have been completed, which items are being worked on, and what is coming next. By effectively using a Scrum board in Jira, you can enhance team collaboration, improve workflow transparency, and manage projects more efficiently.
Prerequisites for setting up a Scrum board
Before setting up a Scrum board in Jira, you must ensure that you have access to Jira and the necessary permissions to create and manage Scrum boards. Also, it is important to understand terms such as backlog, sprint, epic, and user stories. This fundamental knowledge will help you make the most of your Scrum board.
Here are some key components you should be familiar with:
- Backlog: A list of all tasks and requirements that remain to be worked on.
- Sprint: A set period of time during which specific work must be completed and prepared for review.
- User story: A brief description of a feature from the perspective of the person who wants that functionality.
- Epic: A large user story that is broken down into smaller pieces and typically spans multiple sprints.
Steps to set up a Scrum board in JIRA
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Create a new project
The first step to setting up a Scrum board in Jira is to create a new project. You can do this as follows:
- Log in to your Jira account.
- Go to the Projects menu and select Create Project.
- Select Scrum from the available project templates.
- Click Next to continue.
- Enter a name for your project. This can be the name of the product, team, or nature of the project.
- Choose a key for your project, which is a unique identifier for the issues and tasks within your project.
- Click Create to finalize the new project setup.
Once your project is created, you will be directed to your project dashboard.
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Set up the Scrum board
Once your project is ready, the next step is to set up the Scrum board. Follow these steps:
- Go to your project dashboard.
- Find the Boards link located in the left navigation menu and click Create Board.
- Select the Create Scrum Board option.
- Select to create a board from an existing project; specify the project you just created.
- Click on Create Board to complete this step.
Your Scrum board is now set up and will be displayed on your project dashboard.
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Customize your Scrum board
Although Jira's default Scrum board is functional, it can be beneficial to customize it to match your team's workflow. Here are general customization steps:
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Add columns
Columns represent different stages of work on your Scrum board. By default, your board can have columns like To Do, In Progress, and Done.
- Go to board settings by clicking the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner of the board.
- Go to the Columns section.
- Add, delete, or rename columns as needed. For example, you can add columns for Ready for Review or Ready for Testing to better match your workflow.
- Drag the conditions in or out of the columns as you need.
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Configure swimlanes
Swimlanes can help you organize stories, tasks, or issues on your board according to certain criteria.
- Under Board Settings, select Swimlanes.
- Choose how to organize your swimlanes. Examples include stories, assignees, or queries (using JQL).
- If you're creating custom swimlanes, you can use JQL (Jira Query Language) to set rules that determine what appears in each swimlane.
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Set up quick filters
Quick filters allow you to quickly sort and filter cards on the board. This can be useful when you're looking for specific information during a team meeting or daily stand-up.
- In Board Settings, click Quick Filters.
- Add new filters or configure existing filters using JQL to display tickets with certain criteria, such as Bugs or Assigned to Me.
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Add issues to your backlog
To start populating your Scrum board, you need to create issues. Issues in Jira can be tasks, bugs, stories, or epics, depending on the nature of your project:
- Go to the Backlog located in the left navigation menu of your Scrum board.
- To create a new issue, click the Create Issue (A) button located in the Backlog.
- Select the type of issue such as Story, Task, or Bug.
- Enter relevant details like title, description and other mandatory fields.
- Click Create to add the issue to your backlog.
- Repeat the above steps for each issue you need to create.
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Plan and start the race
Once you have a filled backlog ready, you can begin planning and executing a sprint using the following steps:
- In the Backlog view, click on the Create Sprint button available at the top of the Backlog.
- Drag the issues from the backlog to the new sprint section you just created.
- Once you are satisfied with the Sprint plan (e.g., tasks assigned to the Sprint), click the Start Sprint button.
- Provide a name for the sprint, choose the duration, and set the start date.
- Click Start. The sprint is now underway, and the issues appear in their respective columns on the Scrum board.
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Track and review progress
Your Scrum board serves as a powerful tool for tracking sprint progress and conducting team reviews:
- Regularly review the status of tasks and see which column they are in. As tasks progress, move them to the middle of the column.
- Use Jira's built-in charts and reporting features, such as burndown charts, to monitor sprint progress and identify any blockers.
- Conduct daily stand-ups and discuss the current status of tasks, roadblocks, and accomplishments.
- At the end of the sprint, use Jira's sprint review features to review what was completed and what remains. Jira provides visibility of completed tasks and any carryover issues that need attention in the next sprint.
Best practices for using Scrum boards in JIRA
Now that your Scrum board is set up, let's look at some best practices for maximizing its effectiveness:
- Frequent updates: Encourage team members to constantly update the status of tasks on the Scrum board.
- Clear descriptions: Make sure each task has a clear, concise description and enough relevant information to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.
- Regular grooming: Grooming and updating the backlog to accurately reflect priorities and future work.
- Define clear acceptance criteria: For each story or task, specify what constitutes done work, with clear acceptance criteria.
- Retrospective meetings: Hold regular retrospective meetings to gain insight into what the team can improve.
Conclusion
Setting up a Scrum board in Jira is a straightforward task when approached with the right mindset and knowledge. By carefully crafting your project, backlog, sprint, and board settings, you ensure that your team benefits from a clear visual overview of the work ahead and the status of various projects and tasks. Remember, the key to a successful Scrum board lies in diligent maintenance, regular communication, and openness to adaptation and improvement based on team feedback and performance metrics. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you are well on your way to improving project management and leading your team to successful and timely project delivery.
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