Article
Epics in Jira vs Ideas in Jira Product Discovery
Jens Schumacher
Dec 11, 2024
•
5
minutes read
Article
In Jira and Jira Product Discovery, Epics and Ideas each have distinct roles, serving different purposes at various stages of the product development process. Here’s a closer look at what they are, how they complement each other, and why understanding their connection can help your team stay organized and aligned.
What Are Ideas and Epics?
Ideas
An Idea is an early thought or opportunity that might turn into something useful. Ideas are usually broad and not fully developed yet. They can come from anywhere—customer feedback, market research, or just brainstorming sessions with your team.
For example, let’s say a customer mentions they wish they could track their daily activities in your app. This thought can be captured as an Idea. It’s not yet a plan or a feature; it’s just a suggestion that needs to be explored further.
Epics
An Epic is more like a project. It’s a bigger piece of work that has been thought through and broken down into smaller tasks. Epics usually focus on a specific feature or goal that needs several steps to complete.
Continuing with our earlier example, once the Idea about tracking daily activities is validated, it can be turned into an Epic. This Epic would then outline the work needed to develop that feature, such as designing the user interface, coding the functionality, and testing it before release.
Key Differences Between Ideas and Epics
Understanding the differences between Ideas and Epics is crucial for effective product management. Here are the main distinctions:
Stage in the Process
Ideas are at the beginning. They capture potential opportunities for future work. You explore and refine these ideas before deciding if they should move forward.
Epics are further along. They represent features or initiatives that have been validated and are now ready to be worked on.
Purpose
Ideas help you gather and prioritize new opportunities. They’re about figuring out what might be worth pursuing based on customer needs and business goals.
Epics are about delivering something significant. They help organize larger tasks that need to be completed to achieve a goal.
Detail Level
Ideas are often informal and may not have a lot of details at first. They can grow into more concrete plans over time.
Epics are structured and have clear outcomes. Once an Idea is validated, it often gets turned into an Epic for development.
Lifecycle
Ideas usually go through a process where they are evaluated and refined. If they seem valuable, they become an Epic.
Epics go through the development cycle, where they are broken down into smaller tasks and worked on until they’re finished.
How to Use Ideas and Epics Together
Understanding how Epics and Ideas relate to each other is important for keeping your work organized. Here’s a tip from the Jira Product Discovery Team:
It’s a good idea to have an issue type at the same level as the Idea in your software backlog, at the Epic level or above. You can keep the Epic simple, with just a link to the Idea. This is why we added the option to embed a card for the Idea in the Epic's description.
This means that every Epic should connect back to a validated Idea. By linking them, you can easily see where the work came from and why it matters. This keeps everyone on the same page and helps the team stay focused.
Example: From Idea to Epic
Let’s look at a simple example to see how an Idea becomes an Epic:
Idea: “Add a feature to allow users to track their daily activity.”
This is a broad thought that might come from customer feedback. The team might check if this feature is needed by doing some research or running a survey.
Epic: Once the Idea is validated, it can turn into an Epic like: “Develop daily activity tracking feature for the mobile app.”
Now, the Epic is a clear piece of work that will be broken down into smaller tasks, like designing the user interface, integrating APIs, and testing.
The Importance of Validation
Before an Idea can become an Epic, it’s essential to validate it. Validation means checking if the Idea is worth pursuing. This can involve talking to customers, conducting surveys, or analyzing market trends.
For instance, if you find that many users express interest in tracking their daily activities, it’s a good sign that this Idea has potential. On the other hand, if you are hard pressed to find a single person who mentions the idea, it might be best to put it aside for now.
Validation helps ensure that your team is working on features that will truly benefit users and align with business goals. It saves time and resources by focusing efforts on what matters most.
Structuring Your Ideas and Epics
When you’re ready to start organizing your Ideas and Epics, it’s helpful to have a clear structure in place. Here’s a simple way to do it:
Create a Backlog for Ideas: Use a dedicated view in Jira Product Discovery to capture all your Ideas. This could be a board or a list where team members can add new ideas as they come up.
Use labels or custom fields: To keep track of different types of Ideas and keep them organized, consider using labels or custom fields. For example, you might have tags for customer feedback, internal suggestions, or market research.
Prioritize Ideas: Regularly review your Ideas backlog and prioritize them based on factors like customer demand, feasibility, and alignment with your strategic goals. This will help you decide which Ideas to explore further.
Link Ideas to Epics: Once an Idea is validated, create an Epic and link it back to the original Idea. This way, everyone can see the connection between the two.
Break Down Epics into Tasks: For each Epic, break it down into smaller tasks or User Stories. This makes it easier for your team to understand what needs to be done and track progress.
Collaborating with Your Team
Collaboration is key when it comes to managing Ideas and Epics. Here are some tips to foster teamwork:
Involve Stakeholders: When brainstorming Ideas, involve people from different departments, such as sales, marketing, and customer support. They can provide valuable insights and help identify opportunities you might not have considered.
Hold Regular Meetings: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss Ideas and Epics. This keeps everyone informed and allows for open communication about what’s being worked on.
Encourage Feedback: Create a culture where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts on Ideas and Epics. Feedback can lead to better decision-making and more successful outcomes.
Celebrate Successes: When an Epic is completed, take the time to celebrate the achievement. Recognizing the hard work of your team boosts morale and encourages continued collaboration.
Tracking Progress
Once you have your Ideas and Epics organized, it’s important to track progress. Here’s how you can do that effectively:
Use Jira’s Built-in Tools: Jira offers various tools to help you track the status of your Ideas and Epics. Use boards, filters, and reports to monitor progress and identify any bottlenecks.
Set Clear Milestones: For each Epic, set clear milestones to mark important stages in the development process. This helps keep the team focused and motivated.
Review Regularly: Schedule regular reviews of your Ideas and Epics to assess progress and make any necessary adjustments. This ensures that your team stays aligned and on track.
Communicate Updates: Keep stakeholders informed about the status of Ideas and Epics by using a tool like Released. Regular updates help everyone understand what’s happening and why certain decisions are made.
Learning from Experience
As you work with Ideas and Epics, take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to consider:
What Ideas have turned into successful Epics?
Were there any Ideas that didn’t gain traction? Why?
How can you improve the validation process for future Ideas?
What feedback have you received from stakeholders about the workflow?
By learning from your experiences, you can continuously improve your approach to managing Ideas and Epics, leading to better outcomes for your product development efforts.
Conclusion
In Jira Product Discovery, Ideas and Epics are both important for building great products. Ideas are where everything starts, helping teams brainstorm and prioritize what to work on. Epics take those ideas and turn them into actionable tasks that can be tracked through development.
By understanding how these two work together and following the tips provided, your team can stay organized and focused on delivering what users really need.
If you want to learn more about managing these workflows in Jira Product Discovery, feel free to reach out! Your next great product idea is just around the corner, and with the right approach, you can turn it into a reality.
