By Cidoni Brind, Director – DevOps & Process Re-engineering, Engineering
If you’re leading an Agile transformation at scale, you’re probably familiar with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®). You know the theory. You’ve bought the tools. You’ve trained your people. And yet, one of the biggest blockers to progress remains:
Your Jira instance doesn’t reflect your operating model.
From misaligned issue hierarchies to spreadsheets filling the gaps in PI planning, this is a story I see unfold again and again. As a consultant, I work with leaders who don’t need more theory — they need repeatable practices that reduce friction and drive results.
So, here’s a practical guide to setting up your SAFe® Program and Agile Release Trains (ARTs) in Jira the right way — with actionable steps and lessons learned from the field.
Start With the Right Hierarchy in Jira
The SAFe® framework defines a clear hierarchy:
- Portfolio Epics → Capabilities / Features → User Stories / Tasks
Your Jira instance must reflect this. The problem is, most Jira projects grow organically with teams inventing their own issue types and workflows.
What to Do
- Standardize on issue types across all SAFe® levels. Use Epics for Portfolio, Features for Program, and Stories for Team.
- Use Jira’s Advanced Roadmaps or Appfire’s BigPicture to link these items in a visual hierarchy.
- Configure screens and fields based on persona needs (e.g., Portfolio Manager vs. RTE vs. Scrum Master).
- Use JMWE (Jira Misc Workflow Extensions), also by Appfire, to automate transitions and maintain traceability between layers (e.g., when a Feature is marked “Done,” automatically update related Epics).
Outcome
You eliminate misaligned workflows and gain visibility across strategy, planning, and execution.
Create ART Structures That Reflect How Work Actually Flows
One mistake I often see is creating ARTs based on org charts rather than value streams. The result? Teams are grouped by reporting line, not by shared delivery objectives.
What to Do
- Use the ART as your primary program layer in Jira. BigPicture lets you define ARTs and assign teams and boards to each one.
- Map value streams to your project structure so planning happens where the value flows.
- Configure shared team calendars and cadence (Sprints, PIs, sync points) to unify planning efforts.
Outcome
You’ll empower your teams to coordinate at scale while staying aligned to delivery goals.
Operationalize PI Planning Inside Jira
If your PI planning lives in a spreadsheet, you’re creating risk. Teams lose visibility into dependencies. Executives lose trust in delivery forecasts. And nobody wants to retype plan data into Jira after every planning session.
What to Do
- Configure your PI calendar in BigPicture — with timeboxes for planning, execution, and I&A.
- Use Boards by ART and Team for planning sessions — no external tools needed.
- Visualize cross-team dependencies directly in the Program Board.
- Leverage the Gantt module available within BigPicture if you need time-based roadmaps for stakeholder alignment.
Outcome
You centralize planning and delivery in one place — improving accountability, reducing duplication, and increasing executive confidence.
Build Persona-Based Dashboards That Tell the Right Story
One dashboard does not fit all. The Portfolio Manager, the RTE, and the CIO all need different metrics.
What to Do
- Use EazyBI, AppFire’s Dashboard Hub, or native Jira dashboards to build views by persona.
- For Portfolio: Progress of Epics by strategic theme.
- For Program Managers: PI burn-downs, release burn-downs, risk flags, and dependency status.
- For Executives: Flow metrics, delivery performance, capacity usage over time.
Outcome
You give the right data to the right people, eliminating shadow reporting and enabling informed decision-making.
Don’t Skip the Coaching and Enablement
Even with the perfect Jira setup, your teams will struggle if they don’t understand the “why” behind the “what.”
What to Do
- Pair configuration with role-based coaching.
- Build playbooks for each key role (Scrum Master, RTE, Product Owner).
- Reinforce usage during PI planning, retrospectives, and inspect & adapt workshops.
- Provide enablement on the tools and lead with purpose.
Outcome
Teams use and trust Jira, and more importantly, use it to drive outcomes.
🧭 Take the First Step: Is Your Jira Setup SAFe®-Ready?
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to scale Agile. But you do need to make sure your tools reflect your way of working.
📥 Register to Download the SAFe® in Jira Readiness Checklist
Use this checklist to assess where your tooling supports, or undermines, your SAFe® implementation.
