Delivery Reimagined - 3 Steps to Standardising work management

Product Delivery Playbook >> Tools >> 3 Steps to Standardising work management

Standardising a work management tool like Azure DevOps (ADO) or Jira and driving user adoption to enable measurable outcomes involves establishing clear rules, training users, and demonstrating the value of the new processes. The goal is to move from a chaotic, ad-hoc system to a consistent, predictable one that provides reliable data for analysis.

Establish Standards and Governance

Start by defining a unified approach for how teams will use the tool. This eliminates inconsistencies that make it difficult to aggregate data and compare performance.

Define a Project Hierarchy: Standardize how projects are structured within the organization. This includes naming conventions and the use of a hierarchy (e.g., a single organization with multiple projects, or a portfolio of projects under a parent).
Create Work Item Standards: Decide on a consistent set of work item types (Epics, Features, Stories, Bugs) and define their workflows. For instance, establish a standard for what constitutes a "Bug" versus a "Technical Debt" item and define the states they move through (e.g., "New," "In Progress," "Done"). This ensures everyone is speaking the same language.
Template Repositories and Pipelines: Create templates for code repositories and CI/CD pipelines. This standardizes the development process, making it easier to maintain and troubleshoot.
Develop Reporting Standards: Define a standard set of dashboards and reports that will be used by all teams to track progress. This ensures that the data collected is relevant and can be used to measure key performance indicators (KPIs) like lead time, cycle time, and defect rates.

Implement and Roll Out

Once standards are set, the next step is to implement them and support the teams in adopting the changes.

Create Project and Board Templates: Build templates within ADO or Jira that reflect the new standards. This makes it easy for new teams to get started correctly and for existing teams to transition.
Provide Comprehensive Training: Conduct training sessions tailored to different roles (developers, product owners, managers) to teach them how to use the tool according to the new standards. Focus on the "why" behind the changes, not just the "how."
Establish a Central Knowledge Base: Create a single source of truth—a wiki or internal site—that documents all the standards, provides tutorials, and answers frequently asked questions.

Drive Adoption and Measure Outcomes

The final phase is about encouraging users to embrace the new system and using the data to demonstrate success.

Communicate the Value: Clearly articulate how the new standards will benefit the teams, such as by reducing manual work, improving collaboration, and making it easier to showcase their accomplishments.
Provide Continuous Support: Establish a support channel, such as "office hours" or a dedicated chat room, where users can ask questions and get immediate help. This reduces frustration and makes the transition smoother.
Monitor and Report on Key Metrics: Use the standardized dashboards to track KPIs like team velocity, lead time, and deployment frequency. Regularly share these metrics with teams and leadership to show the positive impact of the new processes.
Gather Feedback and Iterate: Solicit feedback from users on what's working and what isn't. Use this information to refine the standards and templates. A continuous improvement mindset is key to long-term success and adoption.

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