Jira: From task management to personal assistant – usage etiquette for personal productivity | by Fedric Fernando

Author: pikisuperstar (https://www.freepik.com/author/pikisuperstar)

Task management is the foundation of successful project execution, and Jira stands out as a versatile platform known for its knack for streamlining work assignments. Among its many features, labels are a standout tool. These handy labels act as guides, helping teams navigate tasks clearly and precisely. Typically, in Jira, labels are used to categorize tasks, such as whether they are related to bug fixes, new features, or user stories.

But let’s imagine Jira as more than just a task list. What if we could use labels in creative ways that went beyond their usual roles? Could this lead to an increase in productivity? Let’s consider how we can fully use the potential of Jira.

Jira is already used by over 300,000 companies around the world, and one of them is Blibli. At Blibli, the main use of Jira is to track history and list the tasks needed for the team to complete during a sprint. The Jira website claims that “Jira supports every agile software development project management methodology your team may need. From agile planning to fully customizable Kanban and Scrum boards, Jira gives you the tools you need to estimate, report and measure velocity with workflows designed to fit your frameworks.

Jira Usage as Technology – data analyst at Blibli

As a Technology Data Analyst at Blibli, we use the Kanban board to manage tasks on a daily basis. We group the task status into 6, which are:

To
The status of a task when we cannot complete it yet due to a block, e.g. the data is not ready yet or the requirement is not final yet.
This week’s tasks
On Monday we had supplementary tasks and we will write what tasks we will undertake this week.
Today’s Tasks
Basic tasks that we will perform today
User review
A task that we have completed, but we are still waiting for the user/requestor to check our work and determine whether the work is now OK or still needs to be updated.
Testing
Typically, a task with this status is associated with a developer and a task that is still being tested on their end, such as a tracker or back-end query task.
Close
A task we have completed, worked through, or choose not to undertake (stop)

With Kanban, we easily move a task from each status with a swipe, so our team or user can easily see the progress.

One more application we use is to track our key performance indicators (KPIs). We use lead time, assignee and labels to monitor our KPIs. For example, we check an assignment’s due date and due date to make sure we deliver our work on time, or we use labels to see how many credits/assignments have been completed in the semester.

Having Jira as our KPI monitor also increased our chance of scoring better when we have a performance review each semester.

The Jira tools listed above only apply to our main tasks. What about tasks that are not part of the main project? Tasks such as updating documents, preparing presentations for future use, or other miscellaneous tasks are often abandoned. I wrote down such tasks in a notebook or memorized them only by memory. Unfortunately, this approach often led to a last-minute rush to complete missed tasks (resulting in nervous laughter).

As I mentioned earlier, relying solely on memory can be quite difficult when it comes to staying productive.

“Relying on short-term memory as a safeguard is extremely dangerous because of its limitations.” Alcivia – The dangers of relying solely on memory

Relying solely on our memory to remember tasks and deadlines can lead to missed opportunities, overlooked details, and unnecessary stress. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information we have to keep track of, which can tire us out and reduce our productivity. Moreover, our memory is not perfect; Even the most organized people can forget about important things in the chaos of everyday life. This heavy reliance on memory can really slow us down and make errors more likely.

So why not move these non-core tasks to Jira? By transferring the responsibility for remembering tasks to a reliable digital system, individuals can free up valuable mental energy and focus more effectively on tasks. This move helps us overcome the limitations of human memory and realize our full productivity potential.

To start, we can create a new label specifically for non-core tasks, for example “placeholder” or simply “personal ticket”. With this label we can enter all the tasks we need to take care of, making sure nothing is forgotten. This approach is intended for both those who prefer to separate work and private life (segmenters) and those who find it difficult (integrators). For segmenters, Jira tickets will always be work-related tickets and will all contain a “placeholder” task that we create, but for integrators we can go overboard with a Jira ticket, we can even create reminders for personal tasks such as shopping for groceries, ordering a haircut or paying bills. In this way, integrators can achieve a balanced lifestyle in which both professional and personal tasks are treated with equal attention and priority.

While both approaches have their advantages, understanding their application in different situations can help individuals optimize productivity and maintain a healthy work-life balance by using tools like Jira to adapt to their unique cognitive preferences.

We recently introduced a new label at our workplace called “placeholder” and I have been using it for over two months now. The results speak for themselves: all tasks assigned to me are consistently completed on time because I perfectly understand my capabilities and workload. If I receive a new task, I can quickly contact Jira to provide the client with the expected completion date. For urgent tasks or higher priorities, I can communicate with another client to reschedule if necessary.

Furthermore, I use the “placeholder” label to write down any ideas or tasks that come to mind. This way, whenever I have a moment of downtime, I can refer to these tasks instead of wasting time wondering what to do next.

As a segmenter, I prefer Jira to be my assistant at work and also in Blibli, currently we only use Jira for work-related matters, so it is suitable for me. But for you who are an integrator. I suggest you talk to your manager or supervisor first before using Jira as a personal assistant (in case adding a new ticket for personal use is against your workplace policy).

Thanks to this adaptation in Blibli, I have significantly improved my productivity because I no longer have to worry about forgetting tasks or letting things slip through the cracks, and I always have tasks to do when I have downtime.

By using the new labels for Jira, you can see that it has transcended its original role as a project management tool. With this improvement, Jira has transformed into a personalized assistant that seamlessly integrates into our everyday lives and revolutionizes the way we manage tasks. We no longer have to rely on memory to meet deadlines or remember important commitments; Jira has become our reliable companion, ensuring that nothing escapes our attention. By leveraging its personal productivity capabilities, we have seen extraordinary increases in our efficiency and effectiveness, both at work and in our personal lives. With Jira by our side, we’ve unlocked new levels of productivity so we can focus our time and energy on what really matters. As we look to the future, we can confidently seize the opportunities before us, knowing that with Jira as our trusted ally, the sky is the limit.