Jun 25, 2024 6 min read

Jira Glossary

Discover the extensive Jira Glossary to reveal vital terms and explanations pertaining to task management, issue tracking, and project optimization.

Jira Glossary
Jira Glossary
Table of Contents

Introduction

In the world of task management and issue tracking, exploring the domain of Jira terminology is essential for streamlined operations.

Dive into a comprehensive overview of key definitions crucial to task management, issue tracking, and project optimization within Jira software.

Jira Terms

A

Agile Board: A board that exhibits problems from one or more initiatives and serves as a tool for planning, monitoring, and controlling work in an Agile development project.

Attachment: An attachment that is linked to a specific issue within the JIRA platform.

B

Backlog: A backlog refers to a collection of unresolved user stories, bugs, and features that are associated with a particular product or sprint.

Board: AA graphical depiction of problems within a project or a group of projects.

Bug: A software malfunction or glitch that leads to unanticipated behavior.

Burndown Chart: A Burndown Chart illustrates the real and projected workload remaining in a sprint.

C

Control Chart: A Control Chart can display the duration or turnaround time for a product, version, or sprint.

Component: A subdivision within a project that corresponds to a distinct aspect of the project's functionality.

Custom Field: A custom field in JIRA that is generated by a user to record extra details about problems.

Cycle Time: The duration required to accomplish a process from inception to completion.

D

Daily stand-up: Commonly referred to as a daily scrum, a brief 15-minute meeting for the software team to synchronize.

Dashboard: A JIRA feature that offers a graphical representation of crucial metrics and data related to projects.

Dependency: A connection between at least two issues, where one issue relies on the completion of another.

Deployment: The act of deploying a software application for user access.

E

Epic: A sizable and intricate problem that is divided into smaller tasks or narratives for easier management.

Escalation: The act of elevating an issue to a higher priority level due to its pressing nature.

Event: A modification in the status of a problem, such as the establishment of a new issue or the resolution of an existing one.

F

Field: A data element in JIRA that holds details regarding an issue.

Filter: An inquiry that is employed to locate and exhibit a particular set of issues within JIRA.

Fix Version: The specific release of a software application where a bug has been rectified.

G

Generation: The act of generating new issues based on a predetermined set of guidelines.

Group: A group of JIRA users who share identical authorizations and obligations.

Grooming: The act of evaluating and revising the backlog of problems within a project.

H

Hook: A feature in JIRA that enables third-party add-ons to augment its capabilities.

Housekeeping: The act of managing and arranging issues and information within JIRA.

I

Issue: An issue in Jira is a distinct task that progresses through a workflow from inception to resolution. It can vary from a basic task or bug to a more comprehensive work item such as a story or epic that requires tracking.

Impact: The extent to which an issue impacts the functionality of a software application.

Impediment: A hindrance or impediment that obstructs the completion of an issue.

Indexing: The practice of arranging and storing information in JIRA to facilitate quick access and retrieval.

J

JQL (JIRA Query Language): A unique language utilized in JIRA for searching and displaying issues.

Job: An event that is executed automatically by JIRA at a designated time or frequency.

Journal: A record in JIRA that documents modifications made to an issue.

JSW: Jira Software (although most just call this Jira)

JSM: Jira Service Management

JWM: Jira Work Management

K

Kanban: Kanban is a method that visualizes work flow and sets limits on work in progress. Unlike the sprint-focused Scrum methodology, Kanban is continuous and not bound by sprint cycles.

Kanban Board: A board that showcases project issues and is employed to strategize, monitor, and oversee work within a Kanban development framework.

Key: An exclusive identifier within JIRA utilized for distinguishing a particular issue.

L

Label: A label in JIRA that serves to categorize and arrange issues.

Library: A set of reusable elements in JIRA that can be utilized in various projects or issues.

Life Cycle: The sequence of steps an issue undergoes from initiation to resolution.

Log Work: A capability in JIRA that enables users to record the duration spent working on an issue.

M

Milestone: A significant milestone in a project that signifies the accomplishment of a major deliverable.

Module: A distinct component in JIRA that embodies a particular feature of a project's functionality.

N

Notification: A message or notification delivered to a user when an event occurs in JIRA, such as the establishment of a new issue or the resolution of an existing one.

O

Object: An entity within JIRA, like an issue or a project.

Outgoing Mail: A message that is transmitted from JIRA to a user via email.

P

Parent Issue: A JIRA issue that has a connection to one or more subordinate issues.

Priority: The priority level allocated to an issue in JIRA, which influences its position in the backlog or queue.

Project: A grouping of issues, components, and additional resources in JIRA that symbolize a particular initiative or objective.

Q

Queue: A compilation of pending issues in JIRA awaiting resolution.

Query: A query in JIRA that is designed to locate issues that correspond to particular standards or specifications.

R

Release: A release of a software application that is accessible to users.

Resolution: The procedure of rectifying an issue in JIRA and designating it as resolved.

Resolver: A JIRA user who is assigned to address and resolve an issue.

S

Screen: A JIRA form utilized to gather details about an issue.

Screen Scheme: A series of JIRA screens that are employed for various categories of issues.

Search: A capability in JIRA that enables users to locate issues that correspond to particular standards or specifications.

Severity: The extent of influence an issue has on the operation of a software application.

Story: A unit of task in an Agile development process that represents a user's demand or necessity.

Scrum Board: A graphical depiction of the work in a Scrum development process that is utilized to monitor the advancement of sprints, stories, and tasks. A Scrum board in JIRA can display data about the status, priority, and responsible party for each story and task, and can be tailored to align with the team's workflow.

Scrum: Scrum is a methodology for Agile development that entails constructing a product through a series of time-bound iterations known as sprints. This approach provides a structure for teams to consistently deliver software.

Scrum of Scrums: Scrum of Scrums is a method for expanding Scrum to encompass extensive, multi-team projects. It serves as the Agile equivalent to the conventional concept of program management.

Sprint: A sprint, also referred to as an iteration, is a condensed duration, typically spanning two to four weeks, during which the development team executes and delivers a distinct product increment, such as a functional milestone version.

Sprint planning: A team meeting for planning that establishes the tasks to be accomplished in the forthcoming sprint.

Sprint retrospective: An assessment of what transpired effectively and ineffectively, accompanied by actions to enhance the subsequent sprint.

Story: A story or user story is a concise software system requirement articulated in brief sentences, preferably using layman's terms.

Story Point: A story point is a measure of the comparative complexity of a story.

Swimlane: A swimlane is a method for categorizing issues to enable agile teams to discern which issues they should prioritize next.

Sub-Task: A sub-task can be linked as a "child" to any issue type, based on the Issue Type Scheme of the project.

T

Task: A unit of task in JIRA that embodies a particular action or item that necessitates completion.

Time Tracking: The procedure of documenting and monitoring the time expended on an issue in JIRA.

Transition: The procedure of transitioning an issue from one status to another in JIRA.

U

User: An individual who employs JIRA to administer and monitor issues.

User Group: A group of JIRA users who share common authorizations and obligations.

V

Version: A version of a software application in JIRA.

View: A graphical depiction of JIRA issues, like a board, dashboard, or report.

Velocity: The velocity of a team refers to the amount of work it can manage in a given time frame, such as the completion of a product backlog within a sprint. This metric can be determined using story points, business value, hours, issue count, or any numerical field. Essentially, it quantifies the team's productivity.

W

Workflow: A series of stages in JIRA that outline the evolution of an issue, from its inception to its resolution.

Work Log: A documentation of the duration spent on an issue within JIRA. This resource facilitates a swift and thorough understanding of JIRA for new users, enabling them to utilize it efficiently.

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