In this article we will show you how to use our Diagramm-Tool draw.io can best be used if you only use Atlassian Jira.
If you work with both Jira and Confluence and record large parts of your project strategy and setup in Confluence, we recommend that you do this draw.io for Confluence to use. This version offers you additional features that are not included in the Jira-optimized version, e.g. B. the revision history, the joint editing of Confluence pages and our whiteboard editor.
If you use draw.io for Confluence and also use Jira, you can embed diagrams created in Confluence in Jira. All you need is one App shortcut between the two programs furnish.
Review – draw.io in Jira, an agile team and a big project
In the last 3 parts of this series of articles about project planning and execution, we accompanied the fictional sketch team: We were there when they started their AI-driven emote project, visualized their project structure and ran a sprint retrospective – all that with the help of draw.io. In the last part of the series, we’ll look at how the project is progressing (and whether our diagram tool can also be useful in this regard).
All’s well that ends well?
The team’s new feature has now been delivered and is available to users of the streaming platform. This is perhaps the most beautiful part of a project: seeing the finished “product” and being able to enjoy the fruits of your own work. And with pride in what everyone has achieved together!
But the Sketch members’ journey isn’t over yet. Because as with any agile project, the motto now is: continuous improvement! The team attentively receives user feedback and incorporates it into updates and updates to the feature. But how does the flow of information from the users to the team work?
Get everything in order
First of all, the platform users have questions about the new emote functions or comment on them – everything from “you can’t get along with it” to “I’ve been waiting for this feature for sooooo long”. This feedback arrives in the form of tickets in the Sketch team’s Jira Service Management (JSM).
In the course of user support, the developers find that very similar issues are emerging among customers. Therefore, they create labels for clusters into which they sort the feedback tickets: graphics/visual aspects, functionality/performance, etc.
Based on these clusters, the team creates flowcharts with instructions on what user support should look like, depending on the problem/topic involved. These flowcharts can be stored in Confluence, OneDrive, GoogleDrive or local storage.
The saved diagrams can easily be embedded in a specific Jira support ticket. That way, the tech working on it can consult it in real time and use it as a checklist — ensuring common optimization issues are addressed first.
To embed the chart in a Jira ticket, all you have to do is click the 3-dot menu […] click and then select “Embed draw.io diagram”.
The benchmark: user experience
The basis for good user support is consistent, professional answers to all questions – and that is scalable. Clustering the tickets allows the Sketch team to quickly identify (and then work on) any “teething troubles” their new feature has. Not only that, the team can also create email templates and boilerplate text to consistently respond to similar requests. The cluster labels can also be transferred to other areas of the organization, e.g. B. as categorization for articles for the internal knowledge database.
In any case, every minute invested in these tasks is worthwhile: Because all of this makes the team more efficient and ultimately saves them (and the users of the platform) time.
The more sophisticated and precise the answers the Sketch team gives its users, the more sophisticated their operational approach becomes. As different support technicians deal with the requests, a common understanding quickly develops that processes with standardized specifications are important so that all colleagues can process the tickets in the same way. Overall, visualization helps the team understand where the pain points are. At the same time, it helps to make processes better and leaner – because in this way superfluous or outdated steps become visible.
Visualization of support processes with smart templates
So far so good: Now our sketch team would like to have a quick way to visualize their various support processes in a clear and differentiated way. On the one hand, this would be helpful for the current technicians to develop a unified approach for ticket management, on the other hand, it will also benefit new colleagues who are to be hired as the streaming platform continues to grow.
To speed things up, team members can use draw.io’s smart templates – and create flowcharts that cover all requirements.
The custom diagram below shows the process for plugin/extension support requests. Depending on the type and complexity of the problem, the first step is for a support employee to test all the approaches that are stored in the flowchart together with the relevant user to see whether they can solve the problem. If they don’t get any further, the employee can escalate the ticket.
Other draw.io use cases for Jira Service Management could be:
Scenario #1: A flowchart showing the user support process from start to finish
This can include explanations of each ticket stage, plus what tasks need to be completed before the ticket moves to the next stage.
Scenario #2: Brainstorming a new user request form
The team member proposing a new form visualizes which fields are required and which are visible/invisible to users. This information can then be shared with the team so everyone agrees on which fields to keep before building the form in JSM.
Scenario #3: High-level overview of Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
If a team sets itself a specific SLA goal (e.g. “Customer inquiries will be answered within 24 hours” or “A ticket will be closed within 5 days after opening”), a flowchart can be created with draw.io that shows the corresponding “Path to the goal” visually understandable.
Goodbye Sketch!
Over time, the team members have successfully set up a stable system to support the platform users – at the same time, they themselves have become faster and more efficient in categorizing and processing tickets and feedback.
We have come to the end of our journey with the Sketch team. But where one door closes, a new one opens – write your own story, with your own team, your next project and draw.io! We have put together a few articles for you in which you can learn more about how draw.io plays out its strengths for Jira and in combination with agile methods:
How can draw.io help you?
Are you already in the starting blocks? If the next thing you have to do is plan your project, then it’s best to do it right away Atlassian Marketplace pay a visit and download yours free 30-day trial of draw.io for Jira or Confluence!
Are you interested in tips and tricks about diagrams and more? Then follow us Social Media: Our community is very engaged and happy to share their experiences – including some that amaze us. Or you look up our YouTube channel over, where we keep posting helpful tutorials or tips on certain features.
Or would you like to know what draw.io can do specifically for you and your use cases? One non-binding demo can answer this question for sure – just make an appointment with our professionals and let them show you how our app can support you and your team.
And now: Happy diagramming!
Further information
Part 1: Project planning in Jira made easy – with draw.io or: Pimp your project!
Part 2: Mapping the project structure in Jira made easy – with draw.io
Part 3: Sprint retrospective made easy in Jira and Confluence – retro feeling with draw.io
An onboarding flowchart with draw.io – the “marauder’s map” for new hires