Tuesday Brief: This week we're diving deep into Jira fundamentals with a comprehensive guide to structure, workflow, and best practices that every Product Owner should master. Whether you're new to Jira or looking to sharpen your skills, understanding the tool's hierarchy and customization options will transform how you manage backlogs and track delivery. Plus, don't miss tomorrow's free crash course - open to everyone!
September 23, 2025
In This Issue:
Resource Article: Decoding Jira - A Comprehensive Guide to Structure, Workflow, and Best Practices
Website Update: Fresh New Look at MPUG.com
FREE Live Event (9/24): Jira for Product Owners Crash Course - Open to All!
PM Best Practice: The Product Owner Mindset Shift
Featured Article: Decoding Jira - A Comprehensive Guide to Structure, Workflow, and Best Practices
Whether you're new to Jira or looking to deepen your understanding, mastering this popular project management tool starts with grasping its fundamental structure and workflow principles.
This comprehensive guide breaks down Jira's hierarchical approach, from high-level initiatives down to granular sub-tasks. You'll discover how Projects, Epics, Stories, and Tasks work together to create a coherent system for managing complex work.
Key insights include:
Understanding Jira's project hierarchy and when to use each level
Setting up projects with proper naming conventions and methodology selection
Customizing workflows beyond the basic "To Do, In Progress, Done" structure
Essential Jira etiquette for effective team collaboration
The article also covers workflow customization through statuses, transitions, and automation rules that can streamline your team's processes. Whether you're working in Scrum or Kanban environments, these foundational concepts will improve your Jira effectiveness.
Live Event (9/24): Jira for Product Owners Crash Course - Open to All!
Ready to put Jira knowledge into practice? Join Vlad Petrescu for a hands-on crash course designed specifically for Product Owners who are new to Jira or want to sharpen their skills.
This session goes beyond basic navigation to focus on the day-to-day activities that Product Owners actually need to master. Vlad will demonstrate real-world techniques for managing backlogs, planning sprints, and tracking delivery effectively.
What You'll Learn:
Navigate Jira's interface, projects, boards, and backlogs with confidence
Create, edit, and prioritize backlog items aligned to business goals
Break down Epics into Stories and add clear acceptance criteria
Plan and start sprints, including setting sprint goals and estimating work
Use Jira boards to track in-progress work and identify blockers
Leverage key Jira reports to monitor progress and adapt plans
🗓️ Wednesday, September 24 🕛 12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT 📍 Live on Zoom 🏅 1 PMI PDU: 0.75 Ways of Working, 0.25 Business Acumen
MPUG host live events with leading experts on Wednesdays from 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET! MPUG members get access to live events where you get direct access to industry leaders, actionable insights, hands-on training, and opportunities to earn PDU's.
Product Owners succeed when they think like business strategists, not just requirement gatherers. Before creating any Epic or Story in Jira, ask yourself: "What business outcome will this drive?" and "How will we measure success?" This outcome-focused approach ensures your backlog prioritization serves real business value, not just feature completion. Your stakeholders will notice the difference.
