This document provides best practices and use cases for using JIRA software for project management. It discusses considerations for opening new tasks, task types, creating effective tasks, referencing files, linking tasks, using comments, recording conversations, logging QA tasks, tracking due date changes, searching, and configuring dashboards. It includes examples of using JIRA for QA logs, linking tasks, and parent-child relationships. The document aims to help users optimize JIRA for clear communication and requirements.

1. JIRA Best Practices
and Use Cases
Joe Cullen and Amy Demers
October 2014

2. COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 2
And timely status of interconnected
tasks.
And timely status of interconnected
tasks.
To help seasoned users optimize JIRA
for clear communication,
specific Catalyst requirements
To help seasoned users optimize JIRA
for clear communication,
specific Catalyst requirements
This is a collection of best practices
and use cases
This is a collection of best practices
and use cases

3. Let’s discuss some
best practices.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 3

4. Considerations Before You
Open a Task
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 4
• Brand new, unique request?
• Related to a resolved task?
• Part of a deliverable with?
quantity scope?
• QA request?
• Out of scope?
See JIRA Best Practices, P. 2

5. New Task Types for P&G
Projects
• Master SOW (Default)
• Incremental – Investment (i.e.,
Value-Add)
• Incremental – SOW
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 5
See JIRA User Guide, P. 7

6. Creating an Effective JIRA Task
• Issue type
• Summary (i.e., task title)
• Due dates
• Description
 Task request
 Task background
 Reference these files
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 6
See JIRA Best Practices, PP. 3–5

7. Referencing Files Outside of JIRA
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 7
• Referencing files on the
shared drive
 Background material
 File too large to upload to JIRA
See JIRA Best Practices, P. 5

8. Connecting Tasks with Subtasks,
Links, and JIRA IDs
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 8
• Parent task
• Subtasks
• Linking
• JIRA IDs
See JIRA Best Practices, PP. 5–6

9. Leveraging a Comment
Methodology
• Accepting a task
• Clarifying requirements
• Referencing a deliverable
• Summarizing work performed
• Finishing work on a task
• Approving final deliverable/reverting
• Closing comments
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 9
See JIRA Best Practices, PP. 6–7

10. Recording Offline Conversations
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 10
• Client feedback
• Bi-Annual Business Review or
deliverable presentation next steps
• Approvals
See JIRA Best Practices, P. 7

11. Logging QA Tasks
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 11
• Parent QA log task
• QA subtask
• Linking QA subtask to
corresponding deliverable task
See JIRA Best Practices, PP. 8–9

12. Coding Due Date Changes
• Request due date change
• Confirming/recording due date
change
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 12
See JIRA User Guide, PP. 10–11

13. Using the Search Functionality
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 13
• Displaying parent tasks for a project
• Finding tasks assigned to others
• Finding historic tasks
• Creating and managing filters
• Leveraging the Export feature
 Creating Hot Lists
See JIRA User Guide, PP. 17–18

14. Configuring a Custom Dashboard
Based on Role
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 14
• PM’s Main Dashboard
 Favorite Filters
 Assigned to Me - in progress/
reopened
 Assigned to Me - not started/open
 Calendar - All My Brands - Due Date
See JIRA Best Practices, PP. 9–11

15. Let’s look at
some use cases.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 15

16. Use Case Examples
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 16
• QA Log
• Brand.com QA
• Standard Deliverable QA
• Deliverables
• YouTube Optimization
• Linking Strategy & Baseline
• Parent-to-child Examples
• Content Optimization
• ASK Maintenance Log

17. Who’s ready
for a quiz?
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 17

18. COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 18
A: Task request, task background, and
files to be referenced.
A: Task request, task background, and
files to be referenced.
Q: What elements should I add to the
task description field?
Q: What elements should I add to the
task description field?
AD10

19. Slide 18
AD10 This goes with slide 4, correct? I had a comment there that may affect this slide in that case.
Amy Demers, 6/24/2014

20. COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 19
A: Create a subtask within the JIRA
project’s QA parent task. Then link it to
the corresponding deliverable task.
A: Create a subtask within the JIRA
project’s QA parent task. Then link it to
the corresponding deliverable task.
Q: How do I log a QA task for a standard
deliverable?
Q: How do I log a QA task for a standard
deliverable?
AD12

21. Slide 19
AD12 Love this Q&A section. Let's do more of these as we build out the deck! :)
Amy Demers, 6/24/2014

22. COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 20

23. 5 Benefits of Consistency
by Eric V. Holtzclaw
COPYRIGHT 2014 CATALYST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. OCTOBER 26, 2015 | PAGE 21
1. Allowing for measurement.
2. Creating accountability.
3. Establishing a reputation for
consistency.
4. Demonstrating reliability and follow through.
5. Practicing what we preach.
See Power of Consistency: 5 Rules

24. Thank You!
Questions?