Agile Project Management Tools

How I Track 10+ Projects at Once as a Program Manager at Amazon It’s a question I get a lot: How do you stay on top of everything without letting something slip? Different teams. Different timelines. Different deliverables. And a lot of noise. Here’s how I keep it all moving…and still make it home for dinner: 1/ I use one central tracking system for everything ↳ One doc, one view. ↳ If it’s not in the tracker, it doesn’t exist. ↳ I update it daily and keep it brutally simple. 2/ I start every week with a 15-minute self check-in ↳ What’s behind? What’s on track? What’s at risk? ↳ If I don’t do this Monday morning, the week runs me instead of the other way around. 3/ I color-code by priority and risk ↳ Green means I don’t need to touch it. ↳ Yellow means it needs a check-in. ↳ Red means I need to escalate or unblock. 4/ I follow up with context, not just reminders ↳ “Just checking in” turns into “We need this by Friday to keep X on track.” ↳ People respond to clarity, not pressure. 5/ I keep a running weekly update for leadership ↳ 3 bullets: what moved, what’s stuck, and what I need help with. ↳ It keeps everyone informed without another meeting. Managing 10+ projects isn’t about multitasking. It’s about systems, focus, and momentum. You don’t need to know everything. You just need to know where to look…and what to move next. How do you track your priorities without getting overwhelmed?

Are you leveraging the full potential of Workday? 🌟 As an HRIS manager, you're always looking for solutions that simplify processes, enhance employee experiences, and reduce system complexity. But did you know that Workday Extend can help you do all this—and more—without leaving your trusted Workday environment? Workday Extend empowers you to: ◾ Customize workflows to fit unique business needs. ◾Avoid costly third-party tools by creating tailored solutions. ◾Enhance efficiency while keeping data secure and integrated. Our guide, From Concept to Elevated Workday, breaks down Workday Extend in a way that’s easy to understand—no technical jargon, just actionable insights. This is perfect for HR and business leaders who want to build a strong case for Extend and drive impactful change in their organizations. 📘 What you'll find in the guide: ◾Real-world examples of how organizations are using Extend to streamline operations. ◾Step-by-step advice on building a business case for Workday Extend. ◾Tips for navigating stakeholder buy-in and implementation challenges. 💡 Ready to take Workday to the next level? Read or download the guide below nd see how Extend can elevate your HRIS strategy. #WorkdayExtend #HRIS #Workday #EmployeeExperience

The DevOps Continuous Integration/Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline is critical for modern software development. This infographic effectively illustrates the key stages and their interconnections. Let's examine each component: 1. Development    - Version control integration    - Feature branch creation and management    - Pull request initiation for code integration 2. Peer Review    - Code quality assessment    - Automated static code analysis    - Security vulnerability scanning 3. QA (Quality Assurance)    - Automated testing suite execution    - User-centric bug analysis    - Continuous feedback loop implementation 4. Pre-Production    - Cloud resource allocation and management    - Load balancing configuration    - Environment parity assurance 5. Production    - Multi-availability zone deployment    - Blue-Green deployment strategies    - Real-time monitoring and logging 6. Backup & Recovery    - Automated snapshot creation    - Disaster recovery planning and testing Key advantages of this CI/CD approach: - Accelerated time-to-market - Enhanced code quality and reliability - Improved cross-functional collaboration - Robust security integration - Scalability and flexibility in deployment Potential implementation challenges: - Organizational resistance to process changes - Complexity in tool integration and management - Skill gap in DevOps practices and tooling Have you encountered specific challenges or achieved notable improvements in your development lifecycle?

Earlier this year, I facilitated a workshop for a new ID team. They were sharp. Motivated. Already juggling multiple projects. But when I asked how they were tracking their work… They pulled up a bullet list in a Word doc. 😬 No tasks. No dates. No owners. Just vibes. And I get it—project management often feels like the last thing we want to deal with. But if you’re the one doing the work, you should be the one leading the project. That means creating structure, setting expectations, and making it easy for your SMEs and stakeholders to collaborate with you. So, in this week’s video, I walk you through how I build a Gantt chart-style timeline for a real ID / eLearning project—from kickoff to launch. Inside, you’ll see how I... ✅ Break down the project into phases and detailed tasks ✅ Assign roles and responsibilities ✅ Estimate timelines and build in review cycles ✅ Use dependencies to manage shifting priorities ✅ Keep projects on track (without losing your mind) 🔗 Watch the full step-by-step video + grab the free template here: https://lnkd.in/g8xnQ72A 💬 How do you manage your ID or eLearning projects? I’d love to hear what works for you. Enjoy the rest of your week! 👋 Tim #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment

🔍 How do you explain Risk Management with Jira in interviews? Last week, I had a deep conversation with a professional around project management topics—many of which emerged from real interview scenarios. One area that came up in detail was Risk Management—especially in Agile environments and tools like Jira. 🧩 Here are some key takeaways from that discussion: ◻️ Two Levels of Risk Management: Agile projects should address both sprint-level risks and long-term risks (e.g., release or dependency risks). Sprint-level risks must be visible daily (e.g., via a board), while long-term risks should influence backlog refinement and prioritization. ◻️ Risk Tracking in Jira: Some teams use a dedicated issue type for risks with zero story points. Others use Confluence for a centralized risk register. Both are valid—as long as the team actively engages with the risks. ◻️ Beyond Tools—Focus on Action: Risk management isn’t about documenting risks. It’s about identifying, revisiting, and responding to them continuously. Sprint risks belong in daily stand-ups. Future risks need stakeholder collaboration. 📌 Whether you're certified PMP or PgMP—be ready to explain how you manage risks in your context, not just in theory. 🗣️ How do you manage risks in Agile? Do you use Jira? Would love to hear your thoughts 👇 #ProjectManagement #RiskManagement #PMPPrep #AgileProjectManagement #Jira #InterviewTips #iZenBridge #Scrum #ProjectManager #PgMP #PMInterviews

📄 Business Analyst Documentation — What Do You Actually Create? If you're a Business Analyst (or aspiring to become one), your ability to document requirements clearly can make or break a project. Here’s a breakdown of the core BA documents we work with, and the tools that help us build them 🧠💻 🗂️ Key BA Documents & What They’re For: 🔹 BRD (Business Requirements Document) - Defines high-level business needs - Written in business language for stakeholders 🔹 FRD (Functional Requirements Document) - Describes what the system should do - Focuses on specific features and interactions 🔹 FRS (Functional Requirements Specification) - A more detailed version of FRD (sometimes used interchangeably) - Can include diagrams, flows, and logic for each function 🔹 SRS (Software Requirements Specification) - Combines functional & non-functional requirements - Often used by devs, testers, and architects 🔹 Use Case Document - Describes user interactions with the system - Includes primary/alternate flows and actors 🔹 User Stories / Acceptance Criteria - Agile-focused, written from a user perspective - "As a [user], I want [feature] so that [goal]" 🔹 Process Flows / Workflows - Visual maps of how tasks or data move through a system 🔹 Requirement Traceability Matrix (RTM) - Tracks the relationship between requirements and test cases 🛠 Tools Commonly Used to Create These Documents: ✅ MS Word / Google Docs – For BRDs, FRDs, SRS, etc. ✅ MS Excel / Google Sheets – For RTMs, prioritization, tabular data ✅ Confluence – Collaborative documentation and knowledge sharing ✅ Jira / Azure DevOps – For writing user stories and tracking requirements ✅ Lucidchart / Draw.io / Visio – For diagrams and flows ✅ Balsamiq / Figma / Adobe XD – For wireframes and UI documentation ✅ Notion – For organizing docs, product specs, and shared notes 📌 Pro Tip: - Choose your format and tool based on your audience – business stakeholders prefer clarity, while developers want specifics. #BusinessAnalyst #BAdocuments #BRD #SRS #FRD #UseCases #Agile #ToolsForBA #Documentation #ProductManagement #Jira #Confluence #Lucidchart #Notion #BAcommunity

No Power BI? No Problem. Everyone seems to be building dashboards in Power BI these days. But what if you don’t have access? Maybe your company hasn’t provided a license. Maybe your laptop can’t handle it. Or maybe you’re just not sure where to begin. Here’s what most people don’t realize: You can still build solid analytics skills using free, accessible tools, and those same skills will carry over when you do start using Power BI. Tools like Tableau Public, Looker Studio, Google Sheets, and Excel Online can teach you how to clean data, build dashboards, apply formulas, and tell compelling stories with data. You don’t need expensive software to start. You just need the right mindset and resources. I’ve pulled together some of the best tutorials and practice tools to help you get started: ↳ Access the Tableau Free desktop version here: https://lnkd.in/dxXxzR_m ↳ Learn how to install it here: https://lnkd.in/dkYHrQfC ↳ Introduction to Tableau: https://lnkd.in/deXZiDjG ↳ Connecting to Data Sources: https://lnkd.in/dq8ibppR Core Skills ↳ Calculated Fields: https://lnkd.in/dEdhYjYC ↳ Filters & Parameters: https://lnkd.in/dJPaGJ_i ↳ Tableau Zen Master Tips & Tricks: https://lnkd.in/dXqY3yPs ↳ Top 10 Tableau Dashboard Design Tips: https://lnkd.in/dZcewx7i Advanced Techniques ↳ Create a Stunning Advanced Dashboard in Tableau: ↳ LOD Expressions: https://lnkd.in/dSfjmuWg ↳ Tableau Prep: https://lnkd.in/dkYHrQfC Real-World Applications ↳ Tableau Public Portfolio: https://lnkd.in/dxXxzR_m ↳ Case Studies: https://lnkd.in/d_jRSttk Additional Resources ↳ Practice Datasets: https://lnkd.in/dEwcEiVq ↳ Cheat Sheets: https://shorturl.at/3SHnK ↳ Communities: https://lnkd.in/dqTZySvW Know someone who needs this? Share it with them. ♻ If you’re serious about leveling up your data career, join my WhatsApp channel for direct insights & updates, or subscribe to my YouTube channel for in-depth tutorials. ↳ My WhatsApp channel: https://lnkd.in/dawGfYjq ↳ My YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/deiQF4DW

How do you gather requirements... when there's literally nothing to start with? (Brand new project in the Discovery / Inception Phase) If you’ve ever been handed a brand-new project and thought: “Where do I even start with requirements?” ...you’re not alone. When there’s no existing system, no previous project to reference, and stakeholders aren’t quite sure what they need yet — it can feel like you're building the plane while flying it. Here’s the approach I use as a Business Analyst when I’m brought in at square one: → Understand the business context. What are we trying to solve? Why now? → Map out key stakeholders. And don’t just talk to the usual suspects — bring in Legal, Compliance, Security, etc., early. Cross-functional input saves you rework later. → Break the project into logical categories. Whatever the project is delivering, try to break it down into high-level process steps. This will help when workshopping requirements with stakeholders, so they can focus on different requirements. → Capture high-level needs. And yep - I use user stories here too. Even at this early stage. It keeps things outcome-focused. → Document just enough. I don’t write 50-page BRDs anymore. I use Confluence tables, Jira, and lightweight templates that the whole team can engage with. → The goal at this stage? Clarity, alignment, and momentum... not perfection. Because let’s be honest: the first version of your requirements will evolve. And that’s a good thing. 💡 Want to become the kind of BA who can confidently lead from day one of a project? Learn how to: ✅ Guide discussions when the path isn’t clear ✅ Keep documentation lean but effective ✅ Become the go-to for “what are we actually trying to do here?” Question for you...How do you approach requirements for a brand new project? Do you use a BRD, Confluence, sticky notes… or something else? If you found this helpful, give me a follow Matthew Thomas I share regular micro-lessons to help you level up your BA career. #BusinessAnalysis #RequirementsGathering #NewProjects #BusinessAnalystLife #AgileBA #LeanDocumentation #UserStories #Confluence #Jira

Apache Superset might be the most underrated dashboarding tool out there: 1. Open source and free. 2. Supports nearly every data source you’ll ever need. 3. Gives control for customizations. 4. The richest selection of graphics and charts. 5. Semantic layer support for SQL. 6. Active community support. 7. Virtual datasets and views. Superset was built by data people for experienced data users who are comfortable with technology. It might not be suitable for everyone on your team. It’s designed for speed and efficiency without unnecessary complexity. There’s no “Read this tutorial to learn how to change measures to dimensions” or “Contact customer support to add a new user” or run SELECT* and see what’s there. If someone can build in Superset, they can handle anything. Not because Superset is difficult (it isn’t!), but because using it trains you to achieve the desired output with minimal steps. Analysts proficient in Superset tend to use only the necessary number of columns for reports, optimize data structures for efficiency, aim for the most optimal time for query execution, etc. Superset may not be a BI tool in the traditional sense, but it stands out as one of the most capable, lightweight, and thoughtfully designed dashboard builders. My recent overview of Superset and what to expect from modern BI tools - https://lnkd.in/g5Wwwvq6

The biggest bottleneck in building a great AI product is iteration speed. And the biggest drag on iteration speed? Generic, off-the-shelf annotation tools. Many teams default to these tools because it seems like the path of least resistance. Counterintuitively, It's often path of most friction. Every second a reviewer spends fighting a clunky UI, switching contexts to find necessary data, or trying to interpret a generic data dump grinds progress to a halt. This is why we often advise teams to build their own custom annotation tools. It's the single most impactful investment you can make in your AI evaluation workflow. I've seen teams that do this iterate up to 10x faster. Why? Two main reasons: 1. Frictionless Review = Exponential Gains: A custom tool is designed for your specific workflow. You can add keyboard shortcuts for common actions, custom filters for your metadata, and bring all the context a reviewer needs from multiple systems into one screen. A tiny reduction in friction for a single review, multiplied by hundreds or thousands of reviews, translates into a massive increase in the volume and quality of feedback you can process. 2. Domain-Specific Rendering: A custom interface lets you render data in a way that's intuitive for the domain. Evaluating AI-generated emails? Render them to look like emails. Reviewing code output? Use syntax highlighting. Assessing a RAG system for medical content? Display the retrieved sources alongside the generated summary in a clear, readable format. When you present data in a product-specific way, your reviewers can give you higher-quality feedback, faster. Below is a screenshot of a custom annotation app one of our students, Christopher Lovejoy, MD built for a medical use case. This is just one of the high-leverage strategies we teach in our AI Evals for Engineers & PMs course. For those interested in the full evaluation toolkit - from error analysis to production monitoring. Get 35% off with code evals-info-url. Next cohort kicks off Oct 6: https://bit.ly/4nahFmu