The Agile User Story Map add on implements a digital version of Jeff Patton’s story map. It is available in both cloud and on premise environment for Jira.  With it the product owner has a powerful tool to manage all requirements even if it is a complex system without losing track of the big picture. It gives the ability to tell a bigger story and the safety that nothing get forgotten. This manual provides a detailed description of the entire functionality.

Create a map in two steps

1) Hit Crete Map at the manage maps view

2) Enter a name and ether select a project OR define your individuel JQL query.

NOTE: currently all maps are synchronized

NOTE: JQL example ‘project=MYPR AND type in (Story,Epic)’

 

 

 

Once the map was created you can define who should read, writ and control. Hit the favorite star to make the map available in the upper left favorite menu.

That’s it, we created our first map! Lets see how the map it self works:

The Cards

There are two different card types: Stories and Epics.

An Epic is a grouping unit, which is always grey and contains its related Stories. The Stories can be grouped and ordered in different ways – their color depends on the filter settings. Each card displays a compact set of information:

At the left top of the card the Issue Type is displayed; followed by the JIRA ID which is linked to the standard JIRA-Issue view. The pencil icon opens the jira issue in edit mode.

The large area in the middle shows the summary field; and the description when moving the mouse over.

The lower side shows Jira status, priority, affected version, count of sub-tasks and the jira agile estimation value.

The progress bar shows the headway made by the epic. This is calculated using the estimation values: The sum of story points of stories that have a resolution divided by the sum of all story points.

Icons for jira status and progress as follows:

To create new Epics or Stories simply apply the “Create” button from the jira’s top navigation bar as you are used to do it but make sure to select Issue Type “Story” or “Epic”:

NOTE:
The map will be updated automatically after creating or editing a new issue.

 Enjoy all the functionality, which is provided by jira in context of any issue:

All modifications will will be synchronized in real time with the map. Filters and lanes will be adjusted as well.

Stories that have sub tasks show the number of them next to the story points. Click on it and a pup up with all the related issues will appear:

Filter Stories

Cards can be hidden or displayed in different colors depending on the filter preferences. The example above shows a set of filter options (you might have more options depending on your data and jira project).

 At start up time all cards are bluebut can be colored . When you apply the green or orange radio buttons the appropriate cards are marked in the selected color. Cards that match both criterias get painted in both colors, green and orange.

The blue check box controles the visibility of the cards: checked means show cards and unchecked means hide them. If no checkbox has been applied no cards are shown on the map. The badge left of the checkbox shows the number of affected stories.

NOTE:
Your selected filter options are saved in your user preferences and are available again next time when you visit Agile User Story Map add on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swim lanes

In addition to filters, lanes can be rendered, which orders stories in horizontal lines by a selected category. The badge left of the radio button shows the number of lines to be rendered.

 

The image below shows an example with a lane for each Sprint.

NOTE: You will find each card only once at the map. This means if a story is related to more than one version and the map is rendered as swim-lanes by version only the first value is usen and other versions are ignored. This ensures that all calculations on the page are not affected by duplicate stories.

Link Stories to Epics

Each story can be moved from one epic to another. Just drag and drop it at the desired epic. A grey layer shows where the card will be placed after dropping it. After dropping, the story will be saved and the progress bars will be refreshed automatically.

There is one Epic called “Unlinked”, which covers Stories that does not belong to any Epic. If you move a Story there, the Epic link will be removed.

NOTE:
Moving Stories in Swimlane mode is currently not possible. You have to apply “Epic line” in general section.

Full-Screen Mode

To show only the map without filter section and header just apply the fullscreen button at the upper right.

 

 

Zoom the map

Fitting the screen to your map can be achieved by the browser’s built-in zoom functionality. Therefore press “ctrl” and “+” or “-” simultaneously. However some browsers does not render the zoomed map properly – in this case just refresh the page and everything fitts the size that you have selected.

 

NOTE:
In a previous version we had a zoom slider, which has been removed because the browsers built-in zoom functionality does the job.