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If you’re tracking OKRs solely with Jira’s built-in reports, you’re steering your team using outdated snapshots rather than real-time insights. Jira may display metrics, but it lacks the tools necessary to identify what’s slowing progress, where tasks stall, or whether you’re truly on track to meet your goals. Without answers to these questions, you’re left reacting to issues rather than proactively addressing them. To stop navigating with outdated data, you need tools specifically designed to work with OKRs. With Oboard and ActionableAgile® Analytics, you can move from passive tracking to proactive execution. In other words, you get to fix issues before they derail your goals. And yes, Jira offers free reports, such as Control Charts and Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFDs). And you might think that they are enough. But let’s be honest — do they tell you what you need to know? Four Things Jira Won’t Tell You Are we on track to meet our key results? What’s slowing us down? Where are work items piling up? If we continue at this pace, will we succeed? If you’re serious about hitting your OKRs, you need answers to these questions. And Jira won’t tell you any of this. At its absolute best, it will provide you with circumstantial data from which you can extrapolate the real answers, but this takes time and a lot of trial and error to see it properly. With the effort and time it takes to parse the free Jira reports, you will still be reacting to problems instead of preventing them.  How Oboard and ActionableAgile® Analytics Connect Strategy to Work OKR Board for Jira helps teams define and track OKRs within Jira, ensuring clear alignment between strategy and execution. It provides easy-to-use tools for OKR tracking and management, along with customizable, real-time OKR reports ActionableAgile® Analytics is a powerful flow metrics tool that helps teams track work progress, spot bottlenecks, and improve predictability — all within Jira. With insights into Cycle Time, Throughput, Aging Work in Progress (WIP), and Monte Carlo Simulations, teams can move beyond gut feeling and make data-driven decisions about delivery speed and efficiency. By using ActionableAgile® alongside Oboard, teams can bridge the gap between strategy (OKRs) and execution (flow metrics), ensuring they don’t just set goals — they achieve them. Key Flow Metrics That Help Tech Teams Achieve OKRs Tech teams using Jira often set OKRs around efficiency, speed, and stability. To emphasize those qualities, we recommend you to focus on the flow metrics, such as: Cycle Time – Tracks how long issues take to move from “In Progress” to “Done,” helping teams identify bottlenecks in Jira workflows and optimize handoffs. Throughput – Measures completed Jira issues over a set period, ensuring teams can track delivery rates and adjust sprint or release goals accordingly. Aging Work in Progress (Aging WIP) – Identifies stalled tasks in Jira boards, highlighting risks before they impact OKRs tied to lead time or efficiency. (Bonus Tip) Monte Carlo Simulations – Forecasts OKR success by predicting feature delivery dates based on historical Jira data, helping teams set realistic deadlines. These metrics will provide you with the clarity that Jira alone cannot. For example, if an Engineering team’s OKR is “ Reduce deployment lead time by 20% ,” flow metrics show where the slowdowns occur. If Aging WIP is high, it signals that tasks are getting stuck. If Cycle Time isn’t improving, teams can identify process bottlenecks and improve efficiency. Real-World Examples of Flow Metrics for Tech Team OKRs When it comes to improving how your tech team works, OKRs are just the start — flow metrics reveal why things slow down and where adjustments are needed. Below are real-world examples of how DevOps and Scrum teams use metrics like Cycle Time, Aging WIP, and Throughput to turn objectives into action and challenges into insights. OKR: Improve Software Stability & Reliability A DevOps team using Jira has the following OKR: [O] Improve stability by accelerating issue resolution and reducing system failures. [KR1] Reduce the number of unresolved critical incidents in Jira by 20%. [KR2] Decrease mean time to resolution (MTTR) for performance-related issues by 30%. They can use the following Agile Flow Metrics to see the actual challenges behind it: Cycle Time for bug and performance fixes measures how long it takes for Jira issues to be resolved from detection to resolution, identifying potential delays. Throughput of resolved incidents ensures the team completes fixes at a sustainable rate to meet the OKR. Aging WIP highlights bottlenecks by identifying Jira issues that have been in progress for too long without being completed. Example in Action The Engineering team analyzes Cycle Time trends and sees that critical incidents take an average of 20 days to resolve, with 4 days spent in triage before work begins. This insight sparks discussions on reducing triage time and optimizing handoffs, leading to actions that shorten resolution times and help achieve the OKR. OKR: Improve Deployment Speed & Predictability (Scrum Team Focused) A Scrum team working in Jira set the following OKR: [O] Improve delivery speed and predictability; [KR1] Increase the number of completed and deployed features per sprint by 25%; [KR2] Ensure 90% of committed backlog items are delivered within the sprint. To uncover what’s slowing them down, they rely on these Agile Flow Metrics: Cycle Time for feature development indicates where delays occur throughout the sprint workflow. Throughput of completed stories tracks how consistently the team delivers value. Monte Carlo Simulations forecast sprint completion likelihood and help manage delivery expectations. Example in Action The team notices that P1 bugs often fail to meet SLA deadlines. A closer look at Cycle Time reveals that these bugs remain in the “Pending Release” state for up to 20+ days. That insight triggers improvements in prioritization, Jira automations for fast-tracking critical bugs, and a new escalation process. The result? Faster resolutions, happier customers, and an OKR achieved. Conclusion Setting OKRs is the easy part. Making them happen? That’s where most teams struggle. Oboard provides the structure to align strategy within Jira. ActionableAgile shows you how work is flowing — or not. Used together, they help teams stop guessing, start seeing, and take action where it matters. Because hitting your goals shouldn’t be about scrambling at the end of the quarter — it should be about knowing, early and often, whether you’re on track. Curious what that looks like in practice? Try combining Oboard and ActionableAgile®—and start closing the gap between ambition and delivery. About Oboard https://oboard.io/ is an Atlassian Marketplace app that helps teams set, track, and achieve OKRs directly in Jira. By connecting strategic goals to daily work, Oboard provides the structure teams need to stay aligned and focused on what matters most. This post was created in close collaboration with Margo Sakova, Marketing Manager at Oboard.

This article is a guest contribution from 55 Degrees Partner, Automation Consultants. Automation Consultants (AC) is an Agile and DevOps Consultancy, dedicated to helping you maximise the value and power of Atlassian tools. Whether you’re embarking on your Cloud-first journey, need to optimise Atlassian tooling, or would benefit from dedicated Atlassian training, AC will guide you to a successful outcome.  When teams first start out on their Agile journey, they often have a number of goals in mind. You may have similar ones: To improve product quality. For your people to operate more collaboratively. To benefit from embedded continuous development and improvement. The list goes on. But ‘becoming Agile’ does not happen overnight. Often, it can take a long time to truly embed Agile working practices and foster a suitable working environment, where failure is valued and communication is open. How do you know if you’re there yet? And how do you know how far you have to go? These are questions that an Agile Maturity Assessment (AMA) can answer What is Agile maturity? Agile maturity is the extent to which an organisation or team effectively implements and continuously improves Agile practices, processes and culture. In doing this, they can enhance flexibility, collaboration, and productivity, and deliver value, both internally and to customers. How do you know when you’ve reached Agile maturity? Whilst it’s tempting to simply say ‘ Take an Agile Maturity Assessment and you’ll find out! ‘, the truth is that Agile maturity level is not, of course, a static state. The very essence of Agile is fluid, with continuous improvement and feedback loops, a culture of failing fast and learning from mistakes, and the ability to respond to change and pivot accordingly. As a general rule, we’d describe Advanced Agile Mastery as when Agile principles are deeply rooted in a team or organisation’s operations and culture. Challenges of adopting Agile Some organisations – and yours may be included in this – tend to struggle implementing Agile from the start. Ostensibly it’s a fairly light manifesto – more of a philosophy rather than a set of rules. But to truly embed Agile and achieve advanced mastery, you may have to overcome a number of challenges: Lack of stakeholder engagement or understanding: This is a real blocker for a number of organisations. There needs to be a top-down approach to Agile adoption, with leadership understanding and valuing its purpose. It’s also important to secure this support because, as with any period of change, there may be some initial teething issues. You need your key stakeholders and leadership team to recognise that change doesn’t happen overnight. Outdated tooling and processes: Whilst the Agile Manifesto favours ‘ individuals and interactions over tools and processes ‘, it’s still valuable to review your tooling. Jira, for example, is designed for Agile project management, with a number of dedicated templates and boards to support teams. Some platforms may be less Agile-friendly, which can hinder the flow of work. An unsafe working environment: Agile teams need a safe and supportive working environment to flourish, where mistakes are recognised as learning opportunities. Again, this is where your leadership’s support is also vital. If you’re struggling with challenges like these, AC’s Agile coaching services could be just the solution. Ranging from ongoing coaching support to stand-alone workshops, we can deliver you bespoke coaching to meet your needs and overcome your challenges.  What is an Agile Maturity Assessment (AMA)? Sometimes referred to as an Agile Readiness Assessment, an AMA is a structured evaluation process used to measure and analyse an organisation’s level of Agile adoption and identify areas for improvement. We’ll identify gaps, offer actionable recommendations, and set you on a smooth path to successful Agile transformation. Now, some organisations may approach this in different ways but, here at AC, our Agile Maturity Assessment model is based on five key areas: People: This area includes cross-skills and continuous learning, levels of empowerment and motivation across your team, and how feedback and growth is embedded. Strategy: From your team’s alignment with organisational vision to the use of measurement and analytics, this area explores how your work aligns with overarching goals and priorities. Culture: This area assesses your working environment, including whether transparency and communication has been fostered, how committed your team or organisation is to Agile principles, and how failure is valued (or not as the case may be…). Teams: In this section, we’d evaluate the autonomy and collaboration of your teams. Operations: Encompassing tooling, delivery, testing and more. We’ll guide you through each element, and award a score from 1-5 for each. At the end of the assessment, your total score will demonstrate at what level of Agile maturity you’re currently operating. What happens after the assessment? This is where the real gold happens. It’s only once you know what a problem is that you can fix it. Once we’ve run you through your Agile audit, you’ll be assigned a level of maturity – and this could be ‘emerging’, ‘maturing’ or ‘advanced’. We can then put together a plan of action for you, to help you adjust and improve your working practices and environment. Ultimately, all the action points we’d recommend will go towards helping your organisation be in a stronger position to truly embed Agile principles and experience long-term success – or to continually improve your existing processes. Benefits of an Agile Maturity Assessment So, why take an audit like this? What benefits could it deliver? Identifies gaps and areas for improvement: Sometimes outside eyes are needed to gauge where you can enhance your processes and how. Celebrates your successes: It can also be valuable to demonstrate where elements of your Agile adoption are going well! Reinforces the value of Agile: An Agile assessment, like the one we’ve described here, can help to reaffirm its importance and the benefits that the Agile mindset can deliver. This can be important for stakeholders and even reticent team members to remember. Provides you with a bespoke action plan: Ultimately, you’ll end your Agile audit with a practical plan that you can use to make meaningful and pragmatic changes. After-care: Here at AC, we don’t simply close the door after we deliver our post-audit recommendations. We also provide additional support and consultancy services. From Agile coaching to Jira Align implementation and consultancy, we can guide you through each step of your Agile journey. How to assess your agile maturity model? If you’d like to understand how Agile your organisation is, and how you can enhance your Agile adoption even further, simply contact Automation Consultants today to begin your journey to Agile mastery. Automation Consultants Agile Maturity Assessment offering provides a flexible and valuable way to enhan ce your workflow, culture and output. Ready to understand your Agile Maturity? Start with a free 30-minute consultation call. Register below.

At 55 Degrees, we believe that trust is earned through transparency and consistent action. That’s why we continuously invest in the security and reliability of our products and services. We’re proud to announce that 55 Degrees has successfully achieved certification for the latest ISO 27001:2022 standard, the global benchmark for information security management. This certification demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting your data and strengthening trust. It ensures that every forecast, chart, and data set you interact with is backed by industry-leading security standards designed to keep your information safe. Why Updating to the 2022 Specification Matters The digital landscape evolves quickly, with new technologies, cloud environments, and security threats constantly emerging. The ISO 27001:2022 update reflects these realities by incorporating modern practices for risk management, privacy, and resilience. Transitioning to the new version ensures our Information Security Management System (ISMS) remains aligned with today’s best practices and regulatory expectations. More importantly, it demonstrates our continued commitment to proactively safeguarding customer data, rather than simply meeting a compliance checkbox. What’s New in ISO 27001:2022 The updated 2022 specification introduces several key improvements over the 2013 version: Updated controls for today’s security landscape: 11 new controls were added, addressing areas like cloud services, data leakage prevention, threat intelligence, and secure coding practices. Simplified and modernized structure:  The control set was reduced from 114 to 93, grouped into four logical domains (Organizational, People, Physical, and Technological), making it easier to manage and communicate. Enhanced focus on continuous improvement:   The update places greater emphasis on regular risk assessment, performance metrics, and adaptability to evolving threats. Integration with other standards:   ISO 27001:2022 is designed to align more easily with complementary frameworks such as ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 27701 (privacy information management). How 55 Degrees Is Keeping Your Data Secure Security at 55 Degrees is not a one-time effort, it’s part of our company culture. Our certification journey ensures that every system, process, and team member contributes to maintaining trust and integrity in how we handle customer information. This certification applies across our entire organization, including the systems and processes behind ActionableAgile® Analytics, Portfolio Forecaster, and Inspekt, ensuring consistent, company-wide protection of your data. Here’s how we continue to uphold and strengthen that trust: Regular internal and external audits  to ensure compliance and uncover opportunities for improvement. Continuous monitoring  of systems and access controls to detect and respond to threats swiftly. Employee awareness and training  programs that ensure security best practices are embedded across all roles. Alignment with OWASP and SOC 2 Type II  frameworks to ensure both our software development and operational processes meet the highest standards. A Commitment That Grows With You Achieving ISO 27001:2022 certification is just one step in our ongoing journey to protect your data and uphold the highest standards of trust. Alongside this, 55 Degrees maintains a SOC 2 Type II attestation , validating that our controls for security, availability, and confidentiality are operating effectively over time. We’re also actively working toward DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) compliance , ensuring that our operations continue to meet the resilience and risk management expectations of European regulators. Together, these frameworks reinforce our commitment to robust information security, operational resilience, and regulatory readiness. As threats evolve and standards rise, we’ll continue to strengthen our practices, so you can focus on your work knowing your data is in safe hands. Learn More About Our Security and Compliance Practices Transparency is one of our core values. To learn more about how we protect your data: Visit our Trust Page  for an overview of our approach to security, privacy, and compliance. Explore our Trust Center  — hosted by Vanta, for up-to-date certifications, policies, and compliance evidence.

Is your organisation ready for next-level agility? Many teams face challenges like maintaining alignment, navigating siloes, and adapting quickly to change. The right guidance and practical support can make all the difference. That’s where our partners, Automation Consultants , come in. For both new and existing customers, we’re happy to share a chance to book a free 30-minute Agile Maturity Consultation  with one of their experts. In this call, you’ll: Explore the challenges your teams are facing. Gain insights into what “agility” really looks like in practice. Understand whether a full Agile Maturity Assessment (AMA) could help take your organisation to the next level. The Agile Maturity Assessment itself pinpoints where agility can be strengthened—revealing opportunities for collaboration, efficiency, and business impact. It provides a structured, data-driven view of your current maturity level and delivers actionable recommendations to help you move forward. And with regular AMAs, organisations can track progress, measure success, and continuously adapt to evolving business demands. When combined with ActionableAgile Analytics, teams gain even deeper insights into their delivery performance by using flow metrics and probabilistic forecasting to complement maturity assessments and accelerate real improvement. "Automation Consultants helped us pinpoint exactly where we could improve, and their insights led to real measurable change in our team's performance" Senior Director of Software Engineering at British FinTech Business Ready to understand your Agile Maturity? Start with a free 30-minute consultation call. Register below.

This article is written in collaboration with 55 Degrees Partner, Spectrume Group UK . .   Recognised by Atlassian as a top-tier Platinum Solution Partner, with local teams in London and Cardiff. Spectrume Group UK make Atlassian tools work harder for your business, from licences and migrations to training and ongoing support. Setting the Scene Every team has felt it: ambitious deadlines, shifting priorities, and the pressure to deliver more with less. So what happens? Leaders and teams - keen to please, eager to say “yes” - commit to more than they realistically can. It’s not a flaw, it’s human nature.  Nobody wants to be the blocker, the one who says “no.” Optimism feels good in the moment, but without accurate forecasting it quietly becomes a trap. Work piles up, deadlines slip, stress levels rise, and trust begins to erode. That’s the Cycle of Doom : not caused by laziness or poor intent, but by teams trying their best without the data to back their promises. Breaking the Cycle Project managers, Scrum Masters, and Agile delivery leads know that accurate forecasting is critical to breaking this vicious loop of missed deadlines and lost trust. This is where 55 Degrees’ ActionableAgile® Analytics  changes the game. ActionableAgile® Analytics: Forecasting That’s Based on Reality Unlike Jira’s native reports , which are limited and often misleading, ActionableAgile uses your team’s historical delivery data to build probabilistic forecasts . Instead of pulling numbers out of thin air, the app runs thousands of simulations to show the most likely outcomes. You don’t just get one date, you get a range with confidence levels (e.g. 85% chance we’ll be done in 10 days ). Suddenly, planning stops being a guessing game and starts becoming credible in front of stakeholders. The app’s other insights include: Cycle Time Scatterplots : revealing how long work actually takes so you can set realistic Service Level Expectations. Aging Work-in-Progress charts : instantly flagging items that have been in progress too long and are likely causing delays. Flow Metrics dashboards : turning Jira data into clear, actionable insight for smarter planning. In short, ActionableAgile acts like a “virtual agile coach”, constantly showing where your process can improve and how likely you are to hit your targets. Why This Matters Most teams know the Cycle of Doom all too well. You promise a date, miss it, and suddenly planning meetings feel more like courtroom trials than collaborative sessions. By grounding commitments in probability-based forecasts, conversations shift: “We’re 95% confident this will be done in 10 days - and here’s the data to show it.” That kind of confidence is contagious. Stakeholders trust the numbers, teams stop firefighting, and delivery becomes predictable. Instead of a Cycle of Doom, you create a Cycle of Confidence . Where Spectrum UK Comes In ActionableAgile is a powerful tool - but tools only create value when they’re implemented and adopted well. That’s where Spectrum UK  adds impact. Configuration & Onboarding:  We integrate ActionableAgile into your Jira environment, tailoring dashboards and workflows to your reality. Agile Coaching:  We help teams shift from juggling work to finishing what matters, adopting Kanban-style practices that make the data meaningful. Project Build & Support:  From setup to ongoing optimisation, we make sure forecasting becomes actionable; a tool for clarity, not guesswork. Together, ActionableAgile + Spectrum UK  take forecasting from theory to daily practice. The Proof: When Tech Meets Expert Guidance When data-driven forecasting and expert implementation come together, the results are transformative: Predictability Becomes Real ActionableAgile : Wireless Logic  doubled sprint planning accuracy, improving stakeholder trust through predictability. Spectrum : SmartStream trusted us with a high-stakes Cloud migration of 400,000+ issues and 2,500 users, delivered on time, within 3 months, no downtime. Together: leaders can commit with confidence, and teams deliver without fear of overpromising. Complexity Simplified ActionableAgile : KFC  eliminated messy spreadsheets, absorbed a 36% surge in incoming work and boosted output by 16%. Spectrum : Studi merged multiple Jira instances into one streamlined Cloud platform, reducing costs and improving governance. Together: no more waste or duplication. Just a single, trusted system that everyone can rally behind. Faster Time-to-Value ActionableAgile : Sanofi  slashed time to production from 3 months to just 12 days - All within 3 months. Spectrum : Decathlon migrated 3,000+ Jira licenses to Cloud in 13 sprints - unlocking instant access to new features. Together: agility without disruption, smarter, faster delivery at scale. Confidence at Scale ActionableAgile : BNP Paribas  scaled probabilistic forecasting to 150+ teams, creating a common language for performance. Spectrum : Our fixed-price migrations for global enterprises proved that even the most complex transformations can be predictable and secure. Together: scalable change, without the chaos. Human-Centred Outcomes ActionableAgile : Teams build healthier habits - focusing on finishing work, not just starting more. Spectrum : Clients like Studi saw simplified workflows, improved adoption, and happier users after governance was tightened. Together: it’s not just about better systems, it’s about calmer, more confident teams. The Outcome With this combined approach, you don’t just hope  projects succeed, you plan and deliver with confidence. Leaders stop guessing. Teams stop overcommitting. Organisations finally break free from the Cycle of Doom. Want to see what this could look like for your team? Spectrum UK are offering a FREE 15-30 minute consultation  to assess your current setup, explore your goals, and identify the fastest path to improvement. No commitment. No pressure. Just a clear picture of where you are now, where you want to be, and how we can help you get there. Stop the Cycle of Doom with Spectrum UK + 55 Degrees. Ready to break free from the Cycle of Doom? This guide walks you through the types of forecasting traps your team might be guilty of and guidance on how to overcome them. Wouldn't it be nice to know you can deliver - not just hope?

As you migrate to Jira Cloud and bring ActionableAgile® Analytics along, our goal is to help you minimize downtime, preserve functionality, and make the most of everything Cloud has to offer. With Atlassian officially announcing the end-of-life for Jira Data Center, many teams are beginning to prepare their move to Cloud. While change can feel daunting, moving to Jira Cloud with ActionableAgile® Analytics gives you access to faster innovation, better integrations, and expanded automation capabilities, helping your teams work smarter and deliver more predictably. Atlassian’s Shift to Cloud: What You Need to Know Atlassian has announced that it will be  shifting its full focus to Cloud , gradually phasing out Data Center (DC) products until they reach  end of life on March 28, 2029 . We know many of you still rely heavily on Data Center today, and we’ve been following this transition closely. Here’s a breakdown of Atlassian’s current timeline and what it means for you: March 30, 2026  – Sales of new Data Center apps and subscriptions will end for new customers. March 30, 2028  – Last date for existing customers to purchase new Data Center licenses, Marketplace apps, or license expansions. March 28, 2029  – End of life for Data Center. All DC licenses and Marketplace app licenses will expire and become read-only. Until then, Atlassian will continue to provide  technical support, critical security bug fixes, and connectors  between Data Center and Cloud. After March 28, 2029, however, Data Center products and apps will no longer receive support or fixes. Renewals will be prorated to end on that date, and while Atlassian has mentioned that extended maintenance may be available, it would come at an additional cost and only in exceptional cases. What this means for you If your organization is still running on Data Center, you have time, but the countdown has officially begun. The earlier you begin preparing for Cloud, the smoother your transition will be. That’s why we’re focused on making sure we support you every step of the way—from planning and testing to migration and adoption. Why Moving to Jira Cloud Benefits Your Team When you migrate to Jira Cloud with ActionableAgile® Analytics, you’re not just preserving the analytics you rely on—you’re unlocking more opportunities for growth and efficiency. Some of the biggest benefits include: Faster access to new features  – Cloud customers always get the latest updates first, so you’ll benefit from enhancements without delay. Future-ready improvements  – Native integrations with Jira Cloud platform features give you more seamless workflows. Expanded automation and data handling  – Automate more of your processes and leverage smarter ways to manage your data. In short: moving to Cloud doesn’t just help you keep up—it helps you stay ahead Jira Cloud vs. Jira Data Center: What It Means for ActionableAgile® Analytics Area Moving to Jira Cloud Staying on Jira Data Center Feature Updates Get new features first, faster release cycles Limited updates, some new features won't be delivered to DC. Integrations Native integrations with Jira Cloud platform features for smoother workflows No new Atlassian-native integrations planned, limited ecosystem growth Automation & Data Handling Expanded automation options and improved data handling capabilities Current automation capabilities only, no major enhancements expected Support & Roadmap Atlassian is investing heavily in Cloud, with long-term improvements guaranteed Support continues until Atlassian's DC end-of-life, but innovation slows How We’ll Support You Migration can feel daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone. You still have time, and starting early will help you avoid a last-minute crunch. The good news is ActionableAgile® Analytics on Cloud uses the same analysis model as Data Center, so your core data carries over seamlessly. Here’s how we’ll support you along the way: Ongoing updates – We’ll keep you informed as new features and support resources become available. Practical resources – A step-by-step migration guide is on the way to make planning easier and more predictable. Dedicated support – As a valued Data Center customer, you now have access to our Customer Success Program, designed to give you personalized guidance throughout your journey. You can connect with our Head of Customer Experience, Margaux Fiche, at margaux@55degrees.se  to start planning your path and explore how we can best support your transition. FAQs about migrating to Cloud with ActionableAgile® Analytics Here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear from teams preparing for migration. Will ActionableAgile® Analytics continue to support Jira Data Center? Yes. We will continue supporting Jira Data Center customers throughout Atlassian’s end-of-life timeline. Core updates such as charts, insights, and calculations will still be delivered. Why won’t all new features come to Data Center? Some features require extensive development and testing that are specific to the Data Center platform. With Atlassian planning to sunset Jira DC, it’s important for us to focus resources on updates that bring the greatest long-term value to customers across platforms. Which types of features are affected? Platform-dependent updates — such as native Jira dashboard gadgets or certain integrations with Jira internals — may not be delivered to Data Center. Instead, we’re prioritizing improvements to the ActionableAgile® Analytics experience itself, which will benefit both Data Center and Cloud users. What new improvements can I expect on Data Center? You will still see enhancements including: A new app landing page Data set views for easier navigation Consistent chart templates Expanded chart insights What if my team plans to move to Jira Cloud later? We will be ready to support you with a smooth transition when that time comes. ActionableAgile® Analytics for Jira Cloud includes the same core capabilities and ongoing innovation. Migration Planning Checklist To help you plan your transition, here’s a simple checklist to keep in mind: Step What to do Why it Matters Assess Review your current use of ActionableAgile® Analytics on Jira Data Center. Identify key datasets, saved configurations, and most-used charts. Ensures nothing critical is missed during migration. Plan Map out which features you rely on most. Check the FAQ for features that may differ between DC and Cloud. Helps set priorities and expectations. Trial Run Install ActionableAgile® Analytics for Jira Cloud in a test site. Import sample data and validate key reports. Gives your team a safe way to preview the Cloud experience. Prepare Data Work with your Jira admins to plan the DC → Cloud migration of Jira itself. Document how ActionableAgile® Analytics datasets will be recreated in Cloud. Ensures data continuity and minimizes disruption. Migrate Execute the Jira migration. Reconfigure datasets and saved views in ActionableAgile® Analytics for Cloud. Gets your production environment ready. Review & Validate Compare charts and insights between old DC reports and new Cloud reports. Confirm accuracy. Builds confidence and user trust in the new setup. Train & Adopt Introduce users to any new features available in Cloud. Provide quick guides or training sessions. Boosts adoption and helps teams take advantage of improvements. Migrating to Jira Cloud may feel like a big step, but with early planning and the right support, it's an opportunity to get the best out of ActionableAgile® Analytics. On cloud, you'll always have faster access to new features, deeper integrations with Atlassian platform, and expanded automation to make your workflows more efficient. We'll be with you every step of the way, helping you maintain continuity, unlock new value, and move forward with confidence. Whether you're ready to begin your move to Jira Cloud or just have questions along the way, we're here to support you. And if you're planning to move off Atlassian, let us know—we can help if you're moving to Azure or learn more about your next steps to better support you.  Reach out to us at support@55degrees.se

It's a feature you've been waiting for: ActionableAgile® Analytics charts in Jira Dashboards. 🎉 We’re excited to announce the release of  native Jira Cloud Dashboard Gadgets for ActionableAgile® Analytics — bringing your most valuable insights directly to the place where your teams already work:  Jira Cloud Dashboards. This launch is a game-changer for teams, leaders, and stakeholders who want instant visibility into flow metrics without switching tools or exporting data. Why This Matters Until now, sharing ActionableAgile® Analytics insights with a wider audience has not always been seamless. Teams often had to export charts or guide non-users into the app, which worked but added friction. With Jira Cloud dashboard gadgets, that barrier disappears. You can now: Share charts easily  with team members and stakeholders who don’t actively use ActionableAgile® Analytics. See live updates  whenever the dashboard is loaded — no need to export or refresh manually. Bring agile insights into context  by displaying them alongside other Jira data your team already tracks. In short, this feature brings  flow metrics visibility  to  everyone who needs it,  not just direct users. What’s Included in the First Release We’ve started with the  four most essential flow metric charts  — the ones you told us you rely on the most. Cycle Time Scatterplot Visualize how long work items take to complete. Spot trends, outliers, and opportunities for improvement. Aging Work In Progress Highlight work items that have been in progress the longest. Take action before aging tasks become blockers. WIP Run Chart Track how much work is in progress over time. Identify bottlenecks and manage workload more effectively. Throughput Run Chart See how many items your team completes per time period. Monitor delivery pace and forecast future performance. Together, these gadgets deliver a clear, accessible view of your team’s flow and predictability, right from the Jira dashboard. How It Works Adding these gadgets is quick and intuitive: Go to your Jira Dashboard. Search for  “ActionableAgile”  in the gadget search. Add the chart you’d like to display. In the configuration, choose the dataset and view settings you want. That’s it! 🚀 Your chart will now appear on your dashboard, updating automatically whenever you load the page. 💡  Note:  You can’t adjust full chart controls from the dashboard view — these are set by the chosen view in your dataset. To make sure your dashboard gadgets always look the way you want, just create and save a dashboard view in your dataset. You'll still be able to interact with some of the data displayed. Permissions and Access Editors  (those with permission to edit a dashboard) can add and configure ActionableAgile® Analytics gadgets. Viewers  can see the charts but cannot modify them. This ensures dashboards stay consistent while still giving everyone access to the insights they need. A Few Things to Know This release is available for  Jira Cloud only. Jira Data Center is not supported. We’re starting with four core charts, with more to come in future updates. Beyond new charts, we also plan to add insights from the chart data - giving you even deeper visibility and guidance right inside Jira. Why We’re Excited (And You Should Be Too) The release of Jira Cloud Dashboard Gadgets for ActionableAgile® Analytics is more than just a feature update — it’s a major step in making flow metrics a natural part of your team’s daily rhythm. By embedding these charts where your teams already collaborate, we’re eliminating barriers, strengthening transparency, and making it easier than ever to build predictability into your workflow. This has been one of our  most anticipated customer requests,  and we’re thrilled to finally deliver it. We can’t wait to see how your teams put it to use. If you’re on  Jira Cloud , the gadgets are available now. Head to your Jira Dashboard, search  ActionableAgile , and start adding your charts. Still Have Questions? We Can Help. We want to make sure you get the most out of this exciting new feature. Here are a few ways to get support and dive deeper: 📘 Additional Resources: Check out our  documentation  for step-by-step guidance on how to set up and configure your Jira Dashboard Gadgets. 💬 Chat Support: Have a question or run into a challenge? Our support team is ready to help with anything you need. support@55degree.se 🌍 Community: Join the conversation! Connect with other ActionableAgile® Analytics users, share your ideas, and learn from the experiences of teams around the world in our   community space.

We’re excited to share that ActionableAgile® Analytics for Jira Cloud has now been migrated to Forge Remote , Atlassian’s next-generation platform for Marketplace apps. While the change happens behind the scenes, it brings meaningful improvements for you: Improved security & compliance: Your data is now processed using Atlassian’s zero-trust Forge infrastructure, with automatic authentication and context handling. This ensures stronger safeguards without requiring extra setup on your part. Better reliability & performance: Forge’s serverless runtime scales automatically with usage, meaning fewer bottlenecks, faster responses, and more consistent uptime. Future-proof foundation: Atlassian has announced the deprecation of Connect. By moving now, we’re ahead of the curve, ensuring your app continues to run without disruption and remains compatible with Atlassian’s evolving cloud ecosystem. Faster innovation for you: Forge Remote gives us the best of both worlds: the security and simplicity of Forge, plus the flexibility of our own backend services. This means we can deliver new features and improvements more quickly. Most users are already upgraded automatically. If you're still using the old Connect version, simply press the upgrade button to move over.

When I first became a manager (more years ago than I care to admit), I inherited a team full of smart, dedicated people. Everyone was working hard. Meetings were full of good ideas. But we still weren’t delivering. Deadlines slipped. Priorities shifted. Work dragged on far longer than expected. We weren’t lazy. We weren’t disorganized. But we also couldn’t explain why things weren’t getting finished. And that made it really hard to improve. Then someone introduced me to flow metrics. We started measuring how work moved through our process — how much we got done, how long things were taking, and how much work we had in flight. That visibility changed everything. We could see bottlenecks. We could spot aging work before it became a problem. And slowly but surely, our delivery became more predictable and less stressful. What Are Flow Metrics? Flow metrics help you understand how work moves through your system. They’re simple, practical measurements that reveal where work is flowing smoothly and where it’s getting stuck. No crystal balls required. The four core flow metrics are: Throughput : How many work items you complete in a given time period WIP (Work in Progress) : How many items you’re actively working on Work Item Age : How long your current work items have been in progress Cycle Time : How long it takes to complete work from start to finish Each metric tells you something different, and together they give you a clearer, more actionable view of how your team works. Who Can Use Flow Metrics (and Why)? Flow metrics aren’t just for specialists or process geeks. If your work depends on delivering value - and most work does - these metrics can help. Here are just a few roles that can benefit: Team Leads & Scrum Masters: Spot bottlenecks, balance workloads, and support a healthier, more sustainable pace of delivery. Product Managers: Improve forecasting, prioritize realistically, and align delivery expectations with stakeholders. Engineers & Designers: Get insight into how often you’re being interrupted or asked to multitask, and how that affects delivery. Executives & Stakeholders: Understand delivery trends and risks without needing daily status updates. Agile Coaches & Change Agents: Use data to drive conversations, measure improvements, and support teams more effectively. This list isn’t exhaustive. If your role touches delivery in any way, from strategy to implementation and onwards to support, flow metrics can give you valuable insight into how to work smarter, not just harder. Ready to Learn More? If you want to dig deeper into each of the four core metrics, we’ve got you covered: What is Throughput? What is WIP? What is Work Item Age? What is Cycle Time? Understanding your team’s flow is one of the most effective ways to reduce chaos, increase predictability, and create a better experience for everyone involved in delivering value. Want to Go From Insight to Action? Understanding your flow is the first step. Taking action on it is where the real magic happens. ActionableAgile® Analytics  helps you visualize, analyze, and improve your flow using the very same metrics you’ve just read about. Whether you're looking to increase predictability, reduce lead times, or simply make your process more transparent, our tool can help. Try it for yourself or get in touch  to learn how we can support your team.

Adopting flow metrics can feel like trying to convince your team to give up coffee......difficult and a little dangerous. But it doesn't have to be. In our recent webinar with ProKanban.org , we tackled the big questions: How do we overcome resistance? How do we make flow metrics meaningful to teams? And how do we introduce them without causing mass panic? Here are the key takeaways to help you build buy-in without breaking trust. Missed the webinar? Watch it on Youtube. Bringing Flow Metrics to Your Team What’s the best way to introduce flow metrics to a team that’s never used them? You might worry that if you suddenly start talking about cycle times and throughput, you’ll get blank stares – and you’re probably right. Rita suggests a gradual, data-informed approach to get buy-in: “If you come straight into a stand-up and say, ‘ from now on we’re going to use flow metrics ,’ you’ll get probably blank stares… People will wonder what’s happening.”   Instead, begin collecting some data in parallel to your current process. Start measuring how long your work is actually taking and how much you’re delivering. “I started to look at the metrics… I thought, oh, what’s happening here? We have a lot of variation,”  Rita says, describing her own journey. She brought these findings into a retrospective, using real data from the last few weeks to reflect on how work was flowing. Poll results from our live webinar The key is to introduce flow metrics gradually as helpful information, not as a sudden mandate. You might start by examining recent cycle times and throughput in retrospectives or sprint reviews (looking at historical data is a lagging  measure). As the team becomes more comfortable, you can begin using leading  indicators like work item age during daily stand-ups. For example, some teams add an aging marker on cards in their Jira or Kanban board to highlight items that have been in progress longer than a few days. How to deal with the Story Points discussion Many Scrum teams are used to estimating in story points (with tools like planning poker or Fibonacci sequences) and using velocity for planning. A common question is how flow metrics relate to or replace these practices. The experience shared by our experts is that you don’t need to estimate in points to have useful predictions, in fact, your real historical data is usually more accurate than a guess. That said, do not  abandon the valuable discussions that happen during refinement and planning. The goal is to shift those conversations toward understanding the work and risks, rather than debating estimates. Rita went into some detail about this - “ Absolutely do not drop conversations about risks and alignment and what needs to be done. But to sit there and spend time on ‘how long do you think this will take?’ – that’s where we dropped it .”  In her team, they stopped arbitrary story point estimates, but they still collaboratively discuss each upcoming story to make sure they understand it and that it’s small enough. Once the team is clear on the what and why of a story, they start the work. How long it actually takes (the cycle time) is then fed back into their metrics. Over time, teams often find that story point estimates don’t add much value beyond what their throughput  and cycle time  data already tell them. Colleen recommends doing refinement as close as possible to when the work will start, to incorporate the latest information. Planning far in advance with estimates that might change can be wasteful. Instead, teams can forecast using flow metrics: for example, using throughput to project how many stories they can likely complete in the next iteration, or using historical cycle time percentiles to answer “ when might this single item be done ?” (often via Service Level Expectations, like “ 85% of our stories get done in ≤8 days ”). These forecasts are based on reality which is the actual variability of past performance, rather than the optimistic assumptions that often creep into estimates. Smaller Batches, Faster Flow Another aspect of improving flow is tackling the batch size of work. Intuitively, one small item will move through the system faster than a large batch of work. Colleen emphasizes this when addressing how to explain the benefit of moving one item faster versus a group of items: “One item is always going to be faster, obviously, than a group of items… The bigger [the batch], the slower it tends to move.”  Large projects or epics that comprise many pieces will inevitably take longer and face more complexity than a single, well-defined story. The takeaway: whenever possible, break work into smaller independent chunks. Each chunk (perhaps a user story) should ideally deliver some value on its own. By keeping batch size small, you can deliver pieces incrementally and get feedback sooner. If you have an 8–12 week epic, try to slice it into smaller features or stories that can be completed and released continuously, rather than waiting 3 months for a big bang. Smaller batches moving through the system quickly will improve overall throughput and help maintain that consistency we discussed above. Poll results from our live webinar Common Challenges and Misconceptions “Our data is messy or not good enough.” Many teams worry that their tracking data (e.g. in Jira) is incomplete or inconsistent, and thus hesitate to use it. In reality, your data is what it is  – and that’s okay. “The data you have is reflective of the system you have,”  Colleen notes, meaning it captures all the variability of your current process. That variability is precisely why forecasts often feel hard! Don’t wait for perfect data; instead, start using what you have to set a baseline. Include all those outliers and long cycle times in your analysis – they’re telling you something important about your process. Over time, as your team improves (maybe by slicing work smaller or reducing dependencies), your data will naturally get “cleaner” (more consistent). But even if you have a wide range of outcomes, techniques like Monte Carlo simulations can ingest that and give a probability-based forecast. In short, “If you have data, it’s good data.”  Use it to start the conversation and drive change. “Won’t management use these metrics against us?” Perhaps the biggest fear is that making all this data transparent will turn into a surveillance mechanism or a blame game. This concern is real – it’s crucial to establish psychological safety and an improvement-oriented culture when introducing flow metrics. Colleen emphasizes that metrics should be a tool for the team first and foremost, not a stick for leaders to poke at individuals. The goal of visualizing flow metrics is to help the team make better decisions in real time (like swarming aging work or adjusting WIP), and to experiment with changes for improvement. It’s not to compare Team A vs Team B, or Developer X vs Developer Y. Make sure leadership understands this too. Ideally, managers should look at metrics like cycle time and throughput as indicators of process health, not employee effort. If a number is outside the expected range, the question to ask is “ What’s affecting our workflow here? ” rather than “ Who is to blame? ” Want to Learn More? If you're ready to keep going, check out: E-Book - Getting started with flow metrics ProKanban.org Training & Certifications The Kanban Pocket Guide (a free resource worth bookmarking)

Work Item Age is the elapsed time since the work item started. Work Item Age is one of four key flow metrics along with Cycle Time , Throughput , and WIP (aka work in progress ). Work Item Age is, arguably, the most important flow metric because controlling age can result in significantly higher levels of predictability. In short, if you can only measure and manage one thing, make it Work Item Age. In simpler terms, Work Item Age is the elapsed time an open ticket has been waiting or working since it began. Every active item has an age, which grows day by day until the item is finished. Once the work is done, that item’s age stops accumulating (and essentially becomes its Cycle Time). How do you calculate Work Item Age? To begin calculating Work Item Age, you need to have a defined process with two specific points identified: Your Start Line – or the point in your process in which items are considered started Your Finish Line – or the point in your process in which items are considered complete When you have those points defined, you can identify your WIP as they will be the work items between those two points. Identifying WIP in your process You measure the age of each work item in your WIP using the following calculation: (Now – Start TU) + 1 TU stands for Time Unit. You can use any granularity you'd like: seconds, minutes, hours, days or more. Why do we add 1? The “+1” ensures that if something started this morning and it’s still in progress now, we count today as one day of age. Every new day an item remains unfinished, its age increases by 1. Importantly, Work Item Age includes all the waiting time, just like Cycle Time does. It doesn’t matter if a task has been sitting idle over the weekend or blocked by a dependency – that time still counts in its age. Work Item Age is the total elapsed time since the work item started If a story was started 5 days ago, its age is 5 days (assuming we measure in calendar days and add the inclusive day count). We calculate it similarly to Cycle Time, using today as the “end” since the work isn’t finished yet. For example, if a task moved to “In Progress” on October 1 and today is October 10, its Work Item Age would be (Oct 10 – Oct 1) + 1 = 10 days. Why Work Item Age Matters Work Item Age is arguably the most important flow metric for teams focused on improving their delivery . Why? Because it deals with the here and now  – it highlights work that is currently in progress and potentially at risk of taking too long. Cycle Time and Throughput are lagging indicators (they look at completed work), but Work Item Age is a leading indicator . It gives you an early warning when something is languishing. Age is by far the most crucial metric to track, since controlling age can dramatically improve your predictability. If you manage only one thing, manage the age of your work items. Aging Work In Progress Chart from ActionableAgile Analytics. Used for visualizing  Work Item Age. Each dot represents a work item in progress. Consequences of Aging Work Think of Work Item Age as a “staleness” gauge. The longer a task lingers unfinished, generally the harder it becomes to finish. Team members lose context, assumptions go stale, and inertia sets in. By tracking age, you can prevent tasks from quietly rotting on your board. It brings visibility to items that might otherwise be forgotten until it’s too late. Studies have shown that keeping Work Item Age low tends to result in lower overall Cycle Times and more reliable delivery forecasts. In other words, managing aging work directly improves your team’s speed and predictability. You’ll finish work faster and with fewer surprises at the end. There’s also a psychological aspect: a ticket that has been “In Progress” for 15 days when most finish in 5 is a big red flag. It prompts the team to ask, “Why is this taking so long? What’s blocking it?”  Those conversations are exactly what you need to unblock issues or decide if you should pull the plug or get help. Watch this quick expert take on Work Item Age. Getting Started Work Item Age is important to track for any team who wants to become more predictable. At its core, Work Item Age is a process improvement metric. When you see items aging more than expected, you can experiment with tactics to see if they help. There is no single fix but common tactics include limiting WIP, controlling work item size, reducing dependencies, and more. Tracking Work Item Age helps you spot stalled or slow-moving work before it becomes a problem. Use it during these key events to keep your flow healthy and your delivery on track: During daily scrums / stand-ups to highlight items that are aging or stalled - transition to ask “what’s not moving?” instead of just “what are you working on?” In retrospectives, review items that aged unusually long and why During SAFe team syncs or ART syncs to flag aging work at risk of breaching SLAs or SLEs When preparing for release readiness to identify aging features or stories still incomplete In incident response workflows, to monitor if critical bug fixes or support tickets are aging During risk reviews or dependency checks in cross-team planning Whenever an item sits in one status longer than your team’s typical Cycle Time Once you manage Work Item Age, your Cycle Time data should stabilize and make forecasting easier! Ready to get started with flow metrics? This guide walks you through what to measure, how to get your team aligned, and how to build a case for change that your stakeholders will actually care about. It’s time to shift from intuition-driven to insight-driven delivery. If you’re looking for a tool to help you track your flow metrics and improve your process, try out ActionableAgile for free. Don’t forget to reach out if you’re interested in joining our customer success program!

Throughput is the count of work items your team completes per unit of time. In other words, it measures how much work gets done over a period. You might have a Throughput of 2 per day, 10 per week, or even 17 per sprint. Whatever your preferred time unit, this flow metric helps you understand how quickly you finish work . It’s a simple metric, but very powerful for understanding your team’s delivery capacity and for planning. Throughput is one of the four essential Kanban flow metrics (with Cycle Time , WIP, and Work Item Age) and gives insight into how quickly value is flowing out of your process How do you calculate Throughput? Calculating Throughput is straightforward. There are two things you need to decide on: The time unit  – e.g. per week, per month, per iteration. Choose a timeframe that makes sense for your context. Teams often use weekly or biweekly Throughput, especially if they’re doing Scrum (per sprint) or just want a steady pulse measure. The finish line  – define what counts as “completed” (usually items that reach the “Done” column or have a status like Resolved/Closed). In the image below, work is considered started when it enters the In Progress  column on the board. It is considered finished when it enters the Done  column on the board. This team has defined the Done column as their finish line. So, any items that move into the Done column are counted as Throughput. Why should I care about Throughput? Looking at your Throughput allows us to analyze how consistently you deliver value. Consistency of throughput, and how it compares to the rate at which you start work, is one indicator of how stable your process is. Perhaps the most common use for the Throughput metric is providing forecasts for completing multiple work items. You can use Cycle Time to forecast for single items, but you need a rate metric like Throughput to provide forecasts for groups of work items. Throughput Run Chart chart from ActionableAgile Analytics within Jira How do you use Throughput to forecast? Traditionally, people use their Throughput to determine the average rate at which work is finished and then divide the total work by that average. However, forecasting based on averages will produce average results. Obviously, we don't suggest you do that. Fortunately, you can use a Monte Carlo simulation that can use your Throughput data to simulate probable outcomes based on the variation found there. It’s a much more accurate, not to mention risk-aware, way to deliver forecasts. Read more about Monte Carlo simulations and forecasting. Getting started Teams often start looking at Throughput around the same time they begin looking at Cycle Time , WIP , and WIP Age . Focusing on building stability in these key flow metrics is a good start. The more stable your basic metrics are, the fewer outliers your forecasts have to account for and the more your forecasts are perceived as acceptable and, most importantly, accurate. Watch this quick expert take on Throughput Ready to get started with flow metrics? This guide walks you through what to measure, how to get your team aligned, and how to build a case for change that your stakeholders will actually care about. It’s time to shift from intuition-driven to insight-driven delivery. Interested in tracking flow metrics like this one? Try out ActionableAgile for free and reach out if you’re interested in joining our customer success program!