How can JIRA be used in technical writing?

1 Why use JIRA for technical writing?

JIRA is not just a tool for developers, but can also be used by technical writers to create and maintain high-quality documentation that aligns with the software development lifecycle. It allows you to define and prioritize your documentation tasks and requirements as user stories, epics, or issues. You can organize your documentation workflow using boards, sprints, and statuses, as well as communicate and collaborate with your team and stakeholders using comments, mentions, and notifications. Furthermore, JIRA enables you to track and resolve documentation bugs, feedback, and changes using labels, filters, and reports. It even allows you to integrate your documentation with other tools and platforms such as Confluence, GitHub, or Zendesk.

2 How to set up JIRA for technical writing?

Before you start using JIRA for technical writing, you need to set up your project and configure your settings. To do this, you should begin by selecting a project template that fits your documentation needs, such as Scrum, Kanban, or Basic. You can then customize your project settings, including permissions, roles, and notifications. Additionally, you can create and edit issue types, fields, and schemes such as user stories, tasks, subtasks, and acceptance criteria. Furthermore, you should design and modify your workflow with statuses, transitions, and rules. Finally, build and manage your board with columns, swimlanes, and quick filters.

3 How to write documentation using JIRA?

Once you have set up your JIRA project, you can begin writing your documentation with the help of JIRA. To get started, you can create and estimate your documentation user stories or issues using the backlog or board. Additionally, you can plan and execute your documentation sprints with the board or reports. When it comes to writing and updating your documentation, you can use the issue details or editor. Furthermore, you can link your documentation to other issues, such as bugs, features, or tests. And don't forget to attach any relevant documentation files, such as screenshots, diagrams, or videos.

4 How to review documentation using JIRA?

Once you have written your documentation, you should review it for accuracy, clarity, and consistency. JIRA provides features to assist in this process, such as assigning and reassigning documentation issues to reviewers, requesting and providing feedback on the documentation, approving or rejecting the documentation, as well as tracking and measuring the quality of the documentation using labels, filters, and reports.

5 How to deliver documentation using JIRA?

Once you have reviewed your documentation, JIRA can help you deliver it to your users and stakeholders. You can publish your documentation to an external platform like Confluence, GitHub, or Zendesk using the integrations or API. Additionally, you can export your documentation to a file format such as PDF, HTML, or Word using the export or print function. You can also share the documentation with users and stakeholders using the share or email function. Finally, when the documentation is no longer needed, you can archive or delete it.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?