Enhancing Jira's Usability
Unlocking Productivity with Enhanced Project Management Features for Developers
My Role:
UX Designer and Research
Dates: June 17-23
Methods and Tools: Cognitive Walkthrough, Contextual Inquiry, Figma, Zoom
Background
Working on a team of two other UX designers I evaluated the usability of Jira, by Atlassian with its primary users.
Atlassian, a global software company, develops tools like Jira, Confluence, Trello, and Bitbucket to enhance team productivity and collaboration.
Focusing on Jira, we targeted software developers who use it to plan, track, and manage projects.
Prior to research with subjects we, along with two other teams, conducted cognitive walkthroughs to better understand Jira’s interface . This gave us insights into the mental models of our primary users. We then conducted contextual inquiries with a front-end developer via Zoom. While compiling the data, we identified some common recurring issues with consistency, visibility, and feedback that effected work flow. While Jira's interface is intuitive, it could be cleaner and more customizable for software developers.
The Problem
Crowded Interface and Notification Issues
After synthesizing our research data, I found that, despite Jira's mostly intuitive interface, there are opportunities to make it more customizable, which would improve usability for developers. Below are the three main issues I identified.
Crowded Side Drawer:
The user expressed that unused features in the Planning, Operations, and Development side drawers clutter the interface. Specifically, they noted that hiding unused categories, such as Reports, would streamline the Planning menu, allowing them to focus on essential tasks and projects. This would enhance workflow efficiency by reducing visual noise and distractions.
Preference for Modals:
The user prefers updates on tickets to open in modals or pop-ups rather than in a side drawer. They demonstrated that this approach would make it easier to read information, improving their efficiency when checking ticket updates.
Make emails scannable:
The user experiences difficulties in sorting through important information in emails originating from Jira when ticket updates are made. They emphasized that improving the clarity and organization of these emails would allow them to quickly find crucial details, significantly enhancing their work efficiency.
These issues highlight the need for Jira to offer more customization options and improve the way information is presented both within the application and in emails generated by Jira when tickets are updated.
Understanding the Users
“There is a lot of junk in the email notifications - I would like it to be a little more succinct.”
“I do wish there were less buttons in my face. I wish it were cleaner.”
“I hate the side drawer. Can you just give me the modal? I don’t want to look at this?”
Our primary users were front-end software developers who work on teams led by Project Managers and Product Owners, who are considered secondary users. We used contextual inquiries because we wanted to understand their workflows, preferences, and challenges during an actual workday.
Key aspects of the front-end developer's workflow included:
Task Management: Efficiently navigating and updating tasks within Jira to maintain productivity.
Collaboration: Using Jira for team communication, task assignment, progress tracking, and updates.
Notification Handling: Managing numerous email notifications from Jira to promptly identify critical updates and changes.
By analyzing these core aspects of the front-end developer's interaction with Jira, I pinpointed three key opportunities for enhancing user experience and productivity. While our research focused on the primary users, I believe my recommendations will benefit all Jira users.
Recommendations
To give life into my recommended changes, I created an interactive prototype to showcase how these recommendations could help a software developer be more productive. I made a video walkthrough to guide the client through the proposed changes.
Lastly, I prepared a ReadMe file that includes:
Research Findings: Summarizing key insights from user feedback.
Prototype Plan: Outlining user stories that detail the improved experience.
Figma File Instructions: Explaining how to navigate and use the Figma prototype.
Video Walkthrough Link: Providing a visual guide to the proposed design solutions.
These resources collectively ensure a comprehensive understanding of the recommended improvements and their potential impact on user experience.
3 Recommendations:
Streamlined Side Drawer:
I redesigned the pop-up side drawer to allow users to hide unused categories such as "Board," reducing visual clutter. This customization helps users focus on essential tasks and projects, improving their workflow efficiency.
Modal for Ticket Updates:
My prototype includes an option for ticket updates to open in modals or pop-ups instead of a side drawer. This change makes it easier for users to read and process information, enhancing their efficiency when managing and checking ticket updates.
Enhanced Email Notifictions:
I proposed improvements to the hierarchy and content of Jira's email notifications. My design focuses on clearer organization and highlighting crucial details, enabling users to quickly find important information and maintain workflow efficiency.
These design solutions are aimed at addressing the specific pain points identified during our research, ensuring that Jira not only remains intuitive but also becomes more customizable and efficient for its users.
Next Steps and Learnings
Creating More Flexibility and Customization to Enhance User Experience
Our primary users value the ability to customize Jira to fit their specific needs. Designing for flexibility, such as allowing users to hide unused features and choose their preferred interface elements, significantly enhances the overall user experience.
User-Centric Design is Crucial:
Engaging directly with primary users through contextual inquiries provided invaluable insights into their workflows. This user-centric approach ensured that design solutions are aligned with actual user needs.
In the Future
If I were to continue working with the client here is what I would do:
User Testing and Validation:
Conduct further usability testing with a broader group of front-end developers using the Figma prototype. Gather feedback on usability, functionality, and overall user satisfaction to validate and refine the proposed changes.
Iterative Design Refinement:
Based on user testing results, iteratively refine the prototype to address any new issues or concerns that arise.
These steps would ensure a thorough validation and refinement process, ultimately enhancing Jira's usability and efficiency for its primary users based on real-world user feedback and iterative design improvements.
