Hologram UI Design (source: Midjourney)

The Importance of Detailed JIRA Tickets for Agile Development

Product managers should structure their JIRA tickets with sufficient detail to ensure that the development team is aware of the task at hand. This will enable them to work efficiently. A well-written project plan helps prevent misunderstandings and delays and ensures that the final product meets the needs of the customer. It includes objectives, acceptance criteria, and any constraints or dependencies. In the case of JIRA tickets, they can also be helpful to track progress and identify any potential issues that may arise during the development process. This will enable you to save time and money on the project.

While working on my last project, I got the chance to work with a stellar product manager that did everything right and changed my perspective totally towards the structuring of a JIRA ticket for designers, QA, and majorly the development team. So, here is the structure that I learned from her —

#1 User Story

As seen by an end user, a user story describes a specific feature or functionality. A user story consists of the following elements, which are typically included in agile software development as a way to capture requirements for a particular feature or component of the product:

As a [type of user],
I want [some goal or feature],
So that [some reason or benefit]

For example:
As a new customer,
I want to be able to create an account easily,
So that I can start shopping.

A user story is a high-level description of what needs to be achieved. Product managers usually use them to guide development and design and to prioritize features and tasks.

#2 Acceptance Criteria

A JIRA ticket (or user story) must be completed to be considered complete according to the acceptance criteria. These criteria are designed to provide a clear definition of the requirements for a specific task or feature. Having everyone on the team has a clear understanding of what has to be done will ensure that everyone is on the same page.

According to the context and the specific requirements of a JIRA ticket, the structure of the acceptance criteria can vary. However, it is generally comprised of the following elements, which are also referred to as acceptance criteria:

• Description of the feature or functionality to be delivered
• Specific conditions or behaviors must be present for the feature to be considered complete
• Any constraints or limitations that must be taken into account
• Any edge cases or scenarios that must be handled

For example
Scenario: Tap on [feature] notifications
Given I see a new notification in the “Bell” of the Home screen
When I tap into it
Then I will see the [feature] notifications in it

#3 Figma Link

It’s vital to include a design Figma link with the user story and acceptance criteria in a JIRA ticket to create a clear and effective design-development handshake. It is a helpful way to clarify requirements and make sure everyone on the team understands what needs to be built because a design Figma link can give a visual representation of what’s being requested. Product managers, designers, and developers can all access and review the design by including the design Figma link in the JIRA ticket, making it easier to collaborate. The stakeholder feedback also reduces rework and improves the final product better, so it reduces the need for rework. A design Figma link in JIRA tickets lets developers quickly reference the design and get started. Also, it allows you to track progress and identify any issues that may arise during the development process by tracking the design of the ticket.

#4 Notes

Last but not the least, product managers can also include a few side notes on design, product details, APIs, or anything in particular that can help in the development and needs to be highlighted to the developers. It can be an edge case or something that is still WIP from external third parties.

For example:
This is the MVP list of Electricity providers.
or
Input fields are dynamic based on the utility provider. Refer to the MVP list for the required fields.

Wrapping up

An effective JIRA ticket structure ensures that the development team understands the task at hand, including user stories, acceptance criteria, and design Figma links. An individual user story is a high-level description of what needs to be accomplished, acceptance criteria are conditions that need to be met, and a design Figma link shows the feature or functionality.

That’s the end of this short yet hopefully insightful read. Thanks for making it to the end. I hope you gained something from it.

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