Approval Path for Jira: Product Development Workflow
Today, we are happy to introduce Approval Path for Jira , showcasing its capabilities in a Product Development Workflow use case. Organizations using Jira for development can leverage this tool to streamline and automate their approval processes!
Why Approval Process is Important?
A structured approval process is essential in product development, from the initial concept stage to final market release. While workflows may vary depending on the product and business objectives, this article outlines a simplified four-phase approach.
With Approval Path for Jira, organizations can minimize communication errors, ensure deadlines are met, and facilitate external user participation in the approval process.
Setting Up a Jira Workflow
You can already establish a Jira workflow within existing Jira workspace to trigger approval path. Jira workflow automation removes manual approval steps, improving efficiency, accuracy, and issue transitions.
Here are useful links for introduction of Jira Workflows.
How Approval Path for Jira works
Approval Path for Jira is a configurable add-on that enables automated and structured approval processes within Jira. Organizations can create approval definitions and customize them using app’s features to align with project requirements.
You can start 30-day trial on Atlassian Marketplace — click here to try it out!
Additionally, our team offers a free consultation call to provide further insights.
How to Use Approval Path for Jira
All necessary information is available in our documentation:
Use Case: Product Development Workflow
To showcase Approval Path for Jira in action, let’s explore a Product Development Workflow and how our app enhances the process.
Imagine a software company developing a new product based on a client’s request. Product development workflow involves multiple teams—product managers, developers, designers, QA engineers, and sometimes external clients. The project progresses through several stages, requiring approvals at each step to maintain alignment, accountability, and efficiency.
Product Development Workflow Phase:
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Requirements Gathering
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Design Phase
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Development Phase
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Final Approval
1. Requirements Gathering
The product manager gathers requirements from both internal teams and the client. These requirements include:
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Customer expectations and business needs.
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Technical feasibility based on input from the development lead.
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Testability assessments from the QA team.
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Design principles validated by the UX team.
In order to collect each approval from each team, there will be some Jira issues in your board. You might want to switch issue status once approval is done. So, once Jira issue is approved, our Automation Step can be configured to automatically update the issue status from “In Process” to “Done”. This ensures a well-organized Jira board where issues are categorized based on approval status.
2. Design Phase
The UX team creates wireframes and design mockups, requiring approval from:
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Internal stakeholders (e.g., Product Manager)
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External collaborators (e.g., Client representatives)
For decisions requiring multiple votes, a Vote Step can be added to the approval definition. This allows stakeholders to vote on a Jira issue, creating an objective decision-making environment.
3. Development Phase
As the development team starts building the product, each feature must go through reviews and approvals:
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Technical lead ensures the code meets quality standards.
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Product owner verifies alignment with the overall product vision.
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QA team confirms the feature meets testing criteria.
Given that multiple Jira issues are often created for individual development tasks, managing approvals efficiently is critical. With Approval Path for Jira, approvals can be easily managed and tracked through the Activity Tab and Approvals Tab , providing user-friendly interface for approval tracking.
4. Final Approval
Before product release, a final approval phase ensures all key stakeholders sign off on the completed product.
With Approval Path for Jira, approvals are efficiently managed. If approvals from external users (e.g., clients without Jira access) are required, an Email Step can be added. This feature sends an email notification, allowing recipients to approve or reject directly via email.
Key features & benefits
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Streamlined Approvals
With Approval Path for Jira, you can create clear, step-by-step approval workflows for any project. This eliminates the need for external tools or manual follow-ups, reducing delays and confusion. -
External Collaboration
External stakeholders can participate in the approval process via email notifications, without requiring full Jira access. This feature simplifies collaboration and improves efficiency when working with clients or external partners. -
Transparency and Accountability
The app tracks approval history, providing a detailed audit trail (including approver details, timestamps, and time zones). This information can be accessed from the Jira issue Activity Tab or from the Approvals and Activity tabs from Approval Path for Jira app menu. -
Deadline Management
To keep projects on track, you can also parametrize deadlines for each approval. Also, you can configure automated email reminders for pending approvals!
Enhance your approval workflows with Approval Path for Jira and improve efficiency, collaboration, and compliance within your projects.
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