Jira Management and User Stories

Jira is the reference tool for Agile project management. This section covers optimal Jira usage to organize your Epics, User Stories, and effectively manage your Product Backlog.

Introduction to Jira

Fundamental Concepts

Jira Hierarchy

Initiative → Epic → Story → Task/Sub-task ↘ Bug → Sub-task

Issue Types

• Epic: Set of related features
• Story: Feature from user perspective
• Task: Technical task without direct business value
• Bug: Malfunction to fix
• Sub-task: Breakdown of a Story or Task

Epic - Product Vision

Definition and Structure

An Epic represents a major feature or set of related features that bring significant business value.

Epic Template

Epic: [Epic Name]

Summary

Short and impactful Epic description

Detailed Description

Complete explanation of business value and context

Business Objectives

• Objective 1: [Measurable metric]
• Objective 2: [Measurable metric]
• Objective 3: [Measurable metric]

Epic Acceptance Criteria

• Global criterion 1
• Global criterion 2
• Global criterion 3

Impacted Personas

• Persona 1: [Name and impact]
• Persona 2: [Name and impact]

Dependencies

• Dependent Epic: [Name]
• External systems: [List]
• Involved teams: [List]

Definition of Done Epic

• All Epic User Stories completed
• Acceptance tests passing
• User documentation updated
• Production deployment
• Success metrics validated

User Stories - User Needs

INVEST Structure

A good User Story respects INVEST criteria:

• Independent: Independent from other stories
• Negotiable: Can be discussed and modified
• Valuable: Brings value to the user
• Estimable: Can be estimated by the team
• Small: Small enough for one sprint
• Testable: Can be validated by tests

User Story Template

User Story [ID]: [Title]

Story

As a [type of user] I want [objective/feature] So that [benefit/value]

Detailed Description

Context and additional explanations about user need.

Acceptance Criteria

• Given [initial context] When [user action] Then [expected result]

• Given [other context] When [other action] Then [other result]

Mockups/Wireframes

[Link to Figma/Sketch mockups]

Technical Notes

• Use existing REST API
• Respect UI/UX guidelines
• Consider mobile responsiveness

Acceptance Tests

• Manual test on desktop
• Manual test on mobile
• Automated E2E tests
• Validation with Product Owner

Definition of Done

• Code developed and reviewed
• Unit tests written (>80% coverage)
• Integration tests passing
• Technical documentation updated
• Deployed to staging and validated
• Ready for production deployment

Product Backlog Management

Backlog Prioritization

MoSCoW Method

• Must have: Critical features
• Should have: Important but not critical
• Could have: Nice to have
• Won't have: Not for this version

Value/Effort Matrix

Value/Effort Prioritization

High Value / Low Effort (Quick Wins)

• US-01: Purchase button UX improvement
• US-15: Stock indicator addition
• US-22: Loading time optimization

High Value / High Effort (Major Projects)

• Epic-03: AI recommendation system
• Epic-07: Backend architecture overhaul
• Epic-12: Native mobile application

Low Value / Low Effort (Fill-ins)

• US-45: Footer color change
• US-52: Partner logos addition
• US-63: Micro-interaction animations

Low Value / High Effort (To avoid)

• US-78: Unused legacy tool integration
• US-84: Feature requested by 1 client only

Workflows and Statuses

Standard Scrum Workflow

Backlog → Selected → In Progress → In Review → Testing → Done

Status Configuration

Story Statuses

• Backlog: Story identified but not yet prioritized
• Selected for Development: Story prioritized and estimated, ready for sprint
• In Progress: Development in progress
• In Review: Code complete, awaiting review
• Testing: Under test (QA + Product Owner)
• Done: Story completed and validated

Reporting and Metrics

Jira Dashboards

Product Owner Dashboard

• Burndown Chart: Current sprint progress
• Velocity Chart: Velocity over last 6 sprints
• Epic Progress: Progress of current Epics
• Bug vs Story Ratio: Product quality
• Created vs Resolved: General trend

Best Practices and Tips

Do's ✅

• Clearly define Definition of Done for each issue type
• Estimate regularly with the whole team (Planning Poker)
• Maintain updated and prioritized backlog
• Use labels and components to organize
• Automate repetitive tasks with workflows

Don'ts ❌

• Never modify a story during sprint without team agreement
• Avoid stories too large (>13 SP)
• Don't forget to close completed stories
• Avoid micro-management via Jira
• Don't create unnecessary dependencies between stories

---

This page is currently available in French only. English translation coming soon.

For the complete content in French, please visit: Gestion Jira et User Stories