One project with multiple boards

[Gui Ávila]

Hello. I am a bit confused about the idea of having more than one board in the same project.

Why a project should have more than one board? Is there a doc explaining how to use this feature, why its helpfull, etc?

Also, I could only find option to add more boards in Jira Software, but not in Jira Service Desk. Could you please guide me? It seems JSD does not have option "board settings".

Thanks.

[elizabeth_jones · Accepted solution]

Hi There!

Each board is based on a search or jql query. I may want to provide the same information in multiple views for multiple audiences.

I often have multiple boards and here are a few use cases:

Product Managers and Engineering team leads may only want to see high level progress, so I'll create a board that only shows epics on a simple kanban board, even though the team works in sprints. 

Teams have a sprint board to manage their work.

I may create a board that pulls the work together from multiple projects to represent a single program view. 

So I may have a project with 3 different boards. It's simply a way to abstract and present information from the project for various audiences. 

Additionally, it is my understanding that Jira Service Desk does not support boards at this time. However, I believe that you can leverage Jira Software Cloud to pull information from Jira Service Desk. 

Does that help answer your questions?

[Gui Ávila]

Thanks a lot @elizabeth_jones 

- I am looking for a way to see JSD queue in a board view. So I can't do that?

- I did what you suggested: created a board for JSD issues to appear in a Jira Software project. It worked. But that does not make sense. The team working in Software is different than the team working in JSD. A JSD board should be in that same project, not on different team project.

- I was curious about having multiple projects in the same board. Is there a tutorial on how to do that? I did not find where to create data sources for the same board.

Thanks,

Gui.

[elizabeth_jones]

@Gui Ávila 

First, create a query for the items you want to present on your board. Choose "Save As" and name your query.

Next, click "Details" and give view permissions to any groups you wish to see this content on the board.

Next, go to the project where you would like to create a new board and select "Create Board" and select your board type. I have chosen Kanban.

Now, select create "board from an existing filter."

Name your Board. Select the filter you created earlier. Choose the project where the board should appear. Then click "create". 

Your new board will now show in the top right corner.

Here's an example:

[Gui Ávila]

Thanks for your answer, @elizabeth_jones !

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Gui,

As Elizabeth said, boards are simply attached to a filter. And the filter can refer to any project you want - including JSD projects. 

JSD projects do not natively come with a board - meaning no board is created when create a JSD project like with other types of projects.

The trick to the board for JSD projects is that no JSD projects show in the list of projects for the Location field in the Board Settings. So you have to use another project like a Classic Software Project. I have created a generic Classic Software project called Default JSD Project for that purpose. Nothing is attached to that project. 

So you can try this:

1. Create a generic Classic Software project or identify which Classic Software project you want to identify with the JSD board. It will serve no purpose but it may make you populate the Location field.

2. Create a filter for the cards in your JSD project. Something simple like Project - ABC

3. Create a board and attach the board to the Filter you just created. 

4. Link the board to the Location for the project you decided to use in Step 1. 

5. Configure your columns as you like.

Now, to answer your original question in a more generic way as well. Our teams will create multiple boards because we have some large teams (15-20 or more) and we have many activities/columns/statuses - Writing Content, Visual Design, Copyediting, Development, Stakeholder Approvals, Code Review, Code Merge, Testing, second round of Copyediting, more Approvals, etc. 

Our Developers don't want to see all of those columns for stuff that does not relate to them. So they create another board that shows just Software Development issue types while the main board shows everything. Marketers might do the same thing. As do Designers or even QA. 

I hope that helps a little!

[Gui Ávila]

Thanks a lot @John Funk !

But just to make sure. When I create a board on a project, all users with access to that project will access the board, right? Is it possible to define permissions per board?

Thanks!

[John Funk]

No, you define who can access the board by who you share the Filter with. Your filter can reference one project and the Location a totally different one. But their access is only granted on the project in the Filter.