At APTIS GmbH, we’re always looking for ways to improve our user experience. That’s why we’re excited to announce a new way of handling feature requests for Epic Sum Up, our lean project management and bulk editing app for #Jira! With this new system, you can now easily submit your ideas or suggestions through our website, view all the requests that have been submitted, and vote on which ones you think will be most useful.
We hope that the new system will make it easier for you to submit more feature requests and make sure we tackle those most important ones sooner. More feature requests will mean you’re getting the best out of Epic Sum Up!
Real-time information
Earlier, we managed feature requests internally. A new feature request would enter our development process, but there was no way for you to track its status.
We would email the author of the request on the outcome, but there was no real-time reporting on the entire process.
And that was entirely at odds with the basic principle of Epic Sum Up – making sure all the important information is easily available in real time.
The new process brings clear benefits.
- Now everyone can see the status of the Epic Sum Up feature request they submitted or voted on.
- The new system will provide clear insight into our planning and the roadmap, with automated updates in real time.
- If a feature can’t be implemented, you will be able to find out why (a common reason are Atlassian restrictions, for example).
- You will be able to know if a feature you’re considering requesting has already been submitted.
- You can set up email notifications for updates on your requests and features you voted on.
In short, we’re aiming to increase transparency of the requests and the roadmap and improve communication with our users.
Roadmap prioritization
Your votes will influence how we prioritize and move feature requests from the backlog to the to-do.
- First, we will track which features get most upvoted.
- The next task for us is to investigate if the request is technically possible.
- Then, we check if the requested feature fits within the scope of Epic Sum Up.
- And finally, if there’s a fit, we plan in which release the new feature request will be included.
We really love to add smaller features to the release we’re working on at any given time. But for larger features we might push it to one of the upcoming ones so it fits the scope and we can plan.
Shorter release cycles
More generally, our aim is to focus each release on a main functionality or a group of features, such as the Summary Panel, for example. That way, we plan to achieve shorter release cycles.
For us the benefit of the new system is quite clear as well. It will help us better track feature requests from our users, so that we can prioritize and develop the best possible products for our customers. The new automated system is easier to maintain, and it makes it easier to see which feature requests are most important to our users.
Feature requests are a key tool for evolving Epic Sum Up. We built Epic Sum Up to solve real-life challenges – both ours and our customers’ – related to project management tasks in Jira.
Real-life use cases
As an Atlassian Solutions partner we work closely with customers to improve their Jira experience. And that also means we run a great deal of projects at any time. So, many of those features that make Epic Sum Up a great #lean #projectmanagement and bulk editing tool for Jira have actually been introduced to answer a specific, real-life use case.
Here are several examples of features – some simpler, some more complex, we introduced last year.
1. Adding a percentage value to Progress BArs
Feature: In our Summary Panel, Progress Bars include values on which they’re based. The formats for these values, at the time the request had been made, didn’t include the percentage (for example, of time spent compared to estimated time).
Roadmap: One of our customers requested the feature in May 2022, after a similar request came via the Atlassian Community, and we implemented it in the September 2022 release of Epic Sum Up.
2. A new Bulk Change for Issues entry point
Feature: Detail View Editor includes a Show Issues In button with several dropdown options. The request had been to add a Bulk Change for Issues here as well.
Roadmap: The request came in in April 2022, and we included the new feature in the September release.
3. Add a Summary Row
Feature: This had been another request for Detail View Editor – our main tool for monitoring and editing details for a selected issue hierarchy or a list. The request had been to include a Summary Row for all the issues shown in a selected scope.
Roadmap: This was a comparatively large feature to implement, and that’s why it took about a year to implement. Request came in February 21 and the feature was included in the release of January/February 2022.
I hope this post inspires you to post that request you have been thinking about.
Check out the list of requests here. Add your own and vote on your favorites!