Lean Analytics Using Your Existing Jira Instance
By: Michael Boumansour
Tags: Lean, Measurement, Metrics, Agile, Analytics

In my Tapping Into Jira’s Hidden Treasure post I mentioned I would soon be releasing a Lean Analytics Dashboard (LAD) that provides in depth Lean/Agile metrics and analysis. Today, I am making the LAD freely available to use. Like the Enhanced Jira Query Tool the LAD is a stand-alone tool built using Google Sheets and Google Apps script. It automatically pulls data from your existing Jira instance, allowing you to turn that data into information you can utilize to help understand your team’s behaviors and enable your continuous improvement efforts to be more data driven.

The Lean Analytics Dashboard transforms the raw Jira data into concise chart based metrics rendered in configurable dashboards so you can focus on the areas most important to your teams and your organization. There are over 75 Lean and Agile metrics out of the box with the ability to configure an unlimited number of additional metrics.

Simple Dashboard

The LAD is able to derive flow based metrics such as cycle/lead time, throughput, and WIP by mapping the workflows used in your Jira projects against the transition history of each issue. It is capable of handling multiple workflows and issue types so you can attain comprehensive flow measurement of your teams’ value delivery processes.

Workflow Configuration

It utilizes Jira queries(filters) for retrieving the raw data providing you a significant amount of flexibility with the data you wish to include in the analysis. The LAD configuration allows you the ability to include additional Jira fields you may wish to filter on and/or create your own custom analysis and charts. You can have up to 100 different queries stored in the LAD query having its own set of workflow, field, and general configurations.

Query Configurations

The 3 LAD dashboards are all configurable so you can include the charts and key indicators for the measurements that are most important to your teams. In addition the Forecasting and Planning tab summarizes the metrics most relevant to your weekly planning and forecasting in a single easy to find location.

Detailed Dashboard

Exhibit Gallery Dashboard(partial view)

Forecasting & Planning Dashboard

I have been using the LAD in my consulting work with the New York Times for the last 6 months with 25 different teams and growing. The Times uses Jira Server so I have not had the opportunity to use it with Jira Cloud. The Enhanced Jira Query Tool though is being used with Jira Cloud so I feel confident that the LAD should work with Cloud as well.

The LAD comes with a comprehensive guide providing you all the information necessary to initialize, configure, and use the tool. I am continuing to evolve the guide so you will notice there are pieces here and there that are yet to be filled in.

If you are interested in using the tool make a local copy of the The LAD and the The LAD Guide. The guide will provide what you need to know to get started. The LAD is a work in progress so I would very much appreciate your feedback and how you have incorporated it into your work. I am currently considering for the following capabilities:

Monte Carlo based forecasting

Incorporation of build and source control metrics

Enterprise dashboard providing macro level analysis across all teams

Dependency analysis and optimization