Imagine a user story is like a towering mountain. Scaling it alone seems impossible, right? But this is where the subtasks come in – as your trusty climbing gear. They break down the climb into crystal clear steps, which make the ascent smooth and successful. The acceptance criteria act as checkpoints, it will ensure you reach the summit with all the necessary flags planted.

Breaking down the user stories into smaller parts, in the development process more manageable tasks is essential for agile development teams. And to do so this is where subtasks come in. Subtasks are the smaller units of work that truly contribute to the completion of a user story. They help to:

1. Effectively improve team communication and collaboration: Throughout the process by clearly defining the tasks involved in the form of user stories, subtasks make it easier for team members to understand what needs to be done and who is responsible for each task during the development process.
2. Track the development progress more effectively: ​ with the help of subtasks, we can ​track the progress of a user story more granularly. You can monitor which of the tasks have been completed yet, which are in progress, and which are still outstanding this is how the progress has been tracked.
3. Easily identify and address dependencies required: with the help of subtasks, we can identify and address dependencies between different tasks that we require throughout the process. ​Useful to prevent bottlenecks and ensure that work is completed in the correct order as defined.

In addition to breaking down user stories into different subtasks, it is also important to define the acceptance criteria with it. Acceptance criteria are the conditions that should be met for a user story to be considered complete. By defining the clear acceptance criteria, you can make sure that everyone is on the same page about what exactly needs to be done and that user stories are not completed prematurely.

Understanding User Stories

User stories are the most important thing in agile development, serving as concise bridges between the user needs and the software features regarding the project. Imagine them as bite-sized narratives, where each of the capturing has a desired functionality from the user’s perspective. They answer the conclusive questions of “what” and “why”:

1. What does the user want to achieve? What type of problem are they trying to solve, or what functionality are they craving during the development process? User stories give a clear and concise picture of the desired outcome, That will exactly focus on the user’s experience and goals.
2. Why is this important? User stories are capable of articulating the value proposition of a feature effectively. They also explain how it benefits the user, improves their experience, or solves a specific pain point with its methodology. By simply understanding the “why,” developers can set the priority features effectively and ensure they deliver real value too.

Defining Key Terms

1. User story: A user story is a formatted and brief description of a feature or functionality that is desired by a user in the software so that would be clear to the developer to know the user’s needs in the project.
2. Subtask: These are the smaller units of the main task that are used to divide the task and get work done as soon as possible with ​ an exact understanding of the task in parts it can be defined as a smaller unit of work that contributes to the completion of a user story.
3. Acceptance criteria: Acceptance criteria are the conditions that must be met for a user story to be considered complete. It is the condition that should exactly match the user’s story so that it would be taken as complete.

Creating Subtasks in Jira

Step 1: Navigate to Your User Story

First, find the user story you want to work with in Jira software. Think of it as your target.

User story

Step 2: Unleash the Subtask Power

Now to start click the “…” menu (… button) on your selected user story. It’s like opening a top-secret menu for subtasks! Select “Create Sub-task” from the menu.

Create sub-task option

Step 3: Name the subtask and Launch

Now as you open the crates of the task you need to give your subtask a clear name that exactly reflects its purpose. Then hit “Create” and boom, you’ve spawned a mini-mission!

Create sub-task popup

Step 4: More Bites, More Fun

It is the optional step if you need more subtasks follow the second and third steps to create as many as needed subtasks. Think of it as building your task list.

Defining Acceptance Criteria

Step 1: Acceptance Criteria the Checkpoint for User Story

Now successfully created subtask you need to follow these steps for further process just start by clicking the “…” menu on the specific subtask then select “Edit Issue.” This will open its edit panel.

Edit issue panel

Step 2: Checkpoint creation

Now In the “Description” field, list all the conditions that must be met for this subtask to be considered completed according to your subtask think of it as the “done” checklist, this is the finish line!

Acceptance criteria description

Step 3: Save and Savor Success

Now you have come to the end you just need to click “Update” to save your acceptance criteria. And done you’ve just established a clear goal for your subtask to strive towards! You can repeat steps 5 and 6 for all your subtasks.

Update button

Linking Subtasks to User Stories

Subtasks will automatically inherit the user story’s sprint, assignee, and other attributes, simplifying the project management process. You can also manually link the subtasks to other issues for deeper dependencies which are regarding the main task.

1. Sprint: As you assign a subtask to a sprint, it will become part of the same sprint as the user story. This will create a cohesive timeline for completing both the story and its individual components.
2. Assignee: If you are going to assign a user to the user story, they will automatically become the assignee for all the related subtasks unless an individually reassigned process can be done. This makes easy for resource allocation and ensures accountability.
3. Other Attributes: There are other attributes too like labels, priorities, and even custom fields defined for the user story can be inherited by its subtasks, which promotes consistency and streamlines project management effectively.

Managing Changes and Updates

As projects evolve with time, so might your user stories and subtasks. Jira allows you to edit, delete, and re-prioritize subtasks seamlessly.

1. Remember to update your acceptance criteria accordingly to maintain the clarity mentioned.
2. Project dynamics are fluid, and user stories and subtasks may need regular adjustments as things progress.
3. Jira empowers you to manage these changes efficiently.

Reporting and Monitoring Progress

Jira offers different kinds of reports and dashboards to visualize progress and also identify potential bottlenecks. It will track subtask completion, identify dependencies, and also celebrate achievements as your team navigates the project landscape.

Reporting and monitoring dashboard

Useful Tips for Creating Effective Subtasks and Acceptance Criteria

1. Always keep the subtasks small and manageable. A subtask should be able to be completed in a few hours for the execution process.
2. Just try to use clear and concise language when defining acceptance criteria other developers need to understand the true meaning.
3. In the acceptance criteria make sure that your acceptance criteria are measurable and verifiable.
4. Always review your acceptance criteria regularly and update them as required in the process.

Conclusion

By using these tools well, you and your team can conquer those mountains of work with ease. You’ll work together smoothly, track progress clearly, and avoid getting stuck. By following these steps and tips, you’ll be a subtask and acceptance criteria pro in no time, that ​will exactly lead your team to smooth project completion and software success!

FAQs

1. How many subtasks?

Make them small generally Aim for tasks you can finish in a few hours, like bite-sized pieces of a burger. This keeps things moving and avoids overwhelm.

2. What makes good acceptance criteria?

Clear, simple, and measurable. Everyone should understand what “done” looks like for each task. Like a checklist with boxes to tick.

3. Should I update the acceptance criteria?

Yes, as things change, so should update your criteria. Think of it like updating a recipe if you have new ingredients.

4. How do I track progress and find problems?

Use Jira’s reports and dashboards. They show you how things are going and if any tasks are stuck, like a car in traffic.

5. Can I make subtasks for subtasks?

Yes, you can, Keep it simple and organized.