Auto-managed sprint save countless hours of work and improve workflow efficiency by allowing Scrum Masters or Project Managers to effortlessly set automatic start and stop dates when scheduling new sprints.
ROLE
UX design
UI design
Usability research
METHODOLOGY
Design studio method
The Atlassian Way
System design
PROJECT TYPE
Enterprise / Scale
B2B, B2C
Auto-managed sprint: A time-saving solution that streamlines workflow at the enterprise level, saving countless hours.
In an enterprise environment, Jira's default sprint actions often fail to meet the needs and expectations of end users. By design, each sprint requires manual initiation and completion by the Scrum Master. At the end of the sprint, the Scrum Master must manually decide whether unresolved issues should be returned to the backlog or carried forward to the next sprint. As a result, all unresolved issues automatically return to the backlog.
This default process, coupled with the lack of an automatic sprint closure option, poses a significant challenge for Scrum Masters in enterprise organisations. They are responsible for manually closing sprints and ensuring that unresolved issues are handled properly. Moreover, when issues return to the Backlog, they return to their original positions, complicating the effort of retrieving and managing them.
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM
Gathering data
The Atlassian public issue tracker (JAC) tickets, along with numerous comments left by Jira users, were utilized to formulate the initial problem statement, hypothesis, and to pinpoint a specific issue for further investigation.
JAC: A public issue tracker where users report bugs and suggest improvements. It hosts thousands of entries, and users can vote and comment, providing direct feedback on specific features.
EMPATHIZE WITH USERS
Expanding Horizons
Desk research and insights from customer interviews, as well as threads and comments posted by Jira users on the Atlassian Community portal, played a crucial role in empathizing with users and gaining a deeper understanding of the root cause of the problem. This combined dataset was utilized to formulate the final problem statement and develop several hypotheses that were subsequently tested during user testing activities.
Problem statements
Sprint owners who manage parallel sprints in Jira often face the challenge of managing a large number of sprints simultaneously. Closing and opening sprints can be cumbersome, requiring multitasking and increasing the likelihood of human error. Addressing this issue would greatly benefit sprint owners by reducing the time spent on sprint management and planning. As a result, it would increase the productivity of agile teams.
Tested Hypothesis
If we introduce an automated sprint management feature in Jira that allows sprint owners to efficiently manage parallel sprints without the need for manual intervention, we expect to reduce the time spent on sprint management tasks and planning. This improvement will reduce the burden of multitasking and minimise the risk of human error. As a result, we expect to see an increase in the productivity of agile teams, leading to smoother sprint execution and improved project outcomes.
EXPLORATION
Design, Prototype, Implement - Phase One
Following the creation of the problem statement and hypothesis, I organised and facilitated a remote design studio workshop. During this workshop, participants sketched initial solutions, presented their ideas and prioritised them based on business goals, technical feasibility and user needs. We used both personas and user journeys to help participants empathise with users and focus on solving real problems for our target audience.
Personas, User Journey, How might we...? Artefact and activities used to facilitate a design studio workshop
Result of an ideation session during a design studio workshop.
PHASE ONE - DESIGN
Auto manage sprint
Following the design studio workshop, I developed high-fidelity wireframes following the standards of the Atlassian Design System (ADS) and the Atlassian Design Guidelines (specifically tailored for the Atlassian Data Centre).
During the work on Auto managed sprints, wireframes were sparred several times with the design and development team redesigned and converted into Hi-Fi UI used for prototyping and usability testing.
VALIDATION
Usability testing
The culmination of the entire design process was a usability testing session where participants interacted with the Figma prototype remotely in a semi-structured usability testing session. Data from this session was processed using the Dovetail application and affinity mapping techniques.
The P.U.R.E (Practical Usability Rating by Experts) methodology was used to evaluate the interface both before and after the implementation of design changes. This methodology revealed significant improvements in usability, as evidenced by reduced time spent on tasks and a reduction in the number of errors made by users.
EXPLORATION
Design, Prototype, Implement - Phase Two
Following the successful launch, it was decided to move on to the next phase and implement a number of enhancements based on the findings from the research and usability testing. We've also included enhancements based on suggestions and requests from Jira users via the JAC portal and community forum.
These enhancements cover a range of features, including default configurations for auto-managed sprints, onboarding for auto-managed sprints, and a revamped process for enabling parallel sprints.
Among the many improvements introduced in this phase, Sprint Management becomes the largest feature developed as part of the Auto-Managed Sprints and Parallel Sprints functionality.
PHASE TWO - DESIGN
Sprint Management
Following the successful launch, it was decided to move on to the next phase and implement a number of enhancements based on the findings from the research and usability testing. We've also included enhancements based on suggestions and requests from Jira users via the JAC portal and community forum.
These enhancements cover a range of features, including default configurations for auto-managed sprints, onboarding for auto-managed sprints, and a revamped process for enabling parallel sprints.
Among the many improvements introduced in this phase, Sprint Management becomes the largest feature developed as part of the Auto-Managed Sprints and Parallel Sprints functionality.
Challenges
The culmination of the entire design process was a usability testing session where participants interacted with the Figma prototype remotely in a semi-structured usability testing session. Data from this session was processed using the Dovetail application and affinity mapping techniques.
The P.U.R.E (Practical Usability Rating by Experts) methodology was used to evaluate the interface both before and after the implementation of design changes. This methodology revealed significant improvements in usability, as evidenced by reduced time spent on tasks and a reduction in the number of errors made by users.
● LET'S WORK TOGETHER
Got a project?
Let's talk.
andpon - Andrzej Poniatowski
© 2026