Using Board sets
Numerous applications designed to manage Scaled Agile Organizational Structures in Jira go beyond the fundamental Projects and Boards. These tools incorporate Programs, Agile Release Trains (ARTs), Portfolios, Products, and Product Lines to enable comprehensive reporting. They also utilize custom JQL (Jira Query Language) filters for defining precise data scopes in Velocity and Burnup Charts.
A challenge emerges when integrating these abstract entities with board context to obtain Sprint or Kanban metrics for larger organisational units, such as Divisions or Product Lines, which often consist of dozens of teams, each with its own team-level boards. The process of selecting numerous boards as data sources every time new charts are created becomes cumbersome.
To tackle this issue, we introduced the 'Board set' feature. This feature simplifies the aggregation of Sprint and Kanban metrics for large units by enabling the selection of multiple boards as a single data source with just one click, thereby streamlining the chart creation process.
Create board set
To start utilising board sets instead of individually adding boards each time you create a chart, there are two approaches:
As you go, add the boards you need and save them as a board set directly within the settings.
In the 'Board sets' tab, recreate your organisational structure and make use of it when creating charts.
You can create Scrum board sets or Kanban board sets. A mixed set is impractical because each methodology requires specific calculations.
Although it's not required, we recommend adding a description to your set for easier navigation, especially when you have numerous board sets.
Board sets are only selectable by their creators. Nonetheless, you can share charts featuring selected board sets with anyone. If the person or group doesn't have access to certain boards or projects, the data for those restricted areas will not be displayed.
Per board configuration
These settings are applied by default when you add the board set to the chart.
Display Name: This name will be shown in place of the actual board name in Jira, providing a simplified identification option if necessary.
Sprint Filter: This feature allows you to filter sprints based on their names, utilizing regular expressions (regexp).
Custom Estimation Field: Enables the use of any numeric field for calculations.
Custom Done Status: This setting allows for the designation of one or more statuses to signify completed work.
Edit board set
You can edit the board set at any time:
The board set will be automatically updated across all charts, meaning charts with edited board sets will display the updated data.
Ungroup board set
The board set can be ungrouped - as a result, each board will appear on the chart. Meanwhile, adding the same boards as a board set will aggregate all boards into one group on the chart.
Adding board sets with the same boards
The board set can include any list of your choosing. It is advisable to name board sets with meaningful titles to easily identify the contents. Ideally, these sets should align with your organisational structure, accurately reflecting its components.
However, a set can also represent a major release or a program. These elements tend to be more dynamic and less stable than the organisational framework, potentially leading to a board appearing in multiple board sets within a single chart.
The board added in different board sets will be counted for all. In the breakdown by boards, the board will be shown as many times as it is added with the board set's name in parentness.