Azure DevOps Sprint Board Card Styling: Enhancing Team Productivity Through Visualization

Azure DevOps Sprint Board Card Styling: Enhancing Team Productivity Through Visualization

In the ever-evolving realm of software development, where projects can be as fluid as they are complex, having the right tools to visualize progress is paramount. It's about crafting a clear narrative from a maze of tasks, sprints, and milestones. Visualization, in this context, isn't a mere luxury; it's a strategic imperative. It transforms abstract concepts into tangible visuals, bridging the gap between intricate technicalities and comprehensible insights.

Azure DevOps, Microsoft's flagship development platform, is a testament to this philosophy. It isn’t just a tool; it's a workspace tailored for the modern development team. While it boasts a plethora of features, one particular element stands out—the sprint board. This component is more than just a board; it's a canvas. Teams have the freedom to paint their project's journey, using a palette of colors, tags, and styles. At Theatech, this has revolutionized our approach. With Azure DevOps card styling, every task, every sprint, every challenge is visually represented, ensuring that no detail is ever more than a glance away.??

Why Card Styling Matters?

In the context of Azure DevOps and Scrum, card styling isn't just a cosmetic feature; it's an integral component that aids in the effectiveness of the process. Here's why:

1.Team Segmentation: With diverse teams working on different facets of a project, tags like ‘IOS’ , ‘Android’ etc.. enable tasks to be easily allocated and tracked per team. This ensures clear ownership and promotes accountability.?

2.Immediate Insight: A well-styled card offers instant information. Stakeholders can quickly gauge the status of tasks, discern which ones are blocked, and identify which phase of the workflow a particular task is in, whether it's "To Do", "In Progress", "Test/Review", or "Done".?

3.Workflow Clarity: Our board columns visually depict the progression of tasks. This not only aids in daily stand-ups but also ensures everyone is aligned with the sprint's objectives and can anticipate the next steps.?

4.Engagement: A visually appealing board fosters interaction. When cards are styled effectively, they become more than just placeholders for tasks; they transform into dynamic tools that teams interact with, update, and rely on for crucial project insights.

So lets start!

1. Styling Based on Teams:

When managing a product backlog in Azure DevOps, it's crucial for team members to quickly identify product Backlogs relevant to their expertise. To achieve this, we use card coloring based on teams. Here's the logic and the steps:?For my teams:

• IOS Team: Blue
• ANDROID Team: Green
• AI Team: Purple
• BACKEND Team: Gray
• FRONTEND Team: Orange
• UI Team: Pink

Steps to Color by Team:

1. Navigate to your Azure DevOps project and select 'Boards' followed by 'Sprints'.
2. Click on the gear icon (??) in the top right corner to access board settings.
3. Under 'Card Settings', go to the 'Styles' tab.
4. For each team, create a rule:

• Choose 'Product Backlog Item' as the work item type.
• Set a rule where if the 'Tag' field contains the team name (e.g., "IOS"), the card background turns to the respective color (e.g., Blue).

5. Save your changes.

2. Styling Based on Progression:

For the progression of tasks, we use a combination of card coloring and column organization. Here's how:

• To-Do: No color. This is the default state, indicating that the task is yet to be picked up.
• In Processing & Test/Review: Yellow color. This indicates that the task is currently being worked on or under review.
• Done: Green color. A clear indication that the task has been completed.

Steps to Color by Progression:

1. In the 'Styles' tab under 'Card Settings', select 'Task' as the work item type.
2. Create a rule for each progression status:

• For 'In Processing' and 'Test/Review', set the rule where if the column or state is either of these, the card turns Yellow.
• For 'Done', set the rule to turn the card Green when the column or state is 'Done'.

3. Save your changes.

Bonus : Blocked Tasks!

Regardless of its progression status, if a task is marked as "blocked", it turns Red. This immediately draws attention to tasks that face impediments.

Steps to Color Blocked Tasks:

1. Navigate to your Azure DevOps project and select 'Boards' followed by 'Sprints'.
2. Click on the gear icon (??) in the top right corner to access board settings.
3. Under 'Card Settings', proceed to the 'Styles' tab.
4. Select 'Task' as the work item type.

• For 'Blocked':
• Create a new style rule.
• Set the criteria such that if the 'Blocked' field is set to 'Yes', the card background color changes to Red.

5. Save your changes to apply the style.

Conclusion

At Theatech, using card styling in Azure DevOps has been a game-changer. It’s not just about looks; it’s about clear communication. With these visual cues, our boards tell a clear story of where we are, where we've faced challenges, and where we've succeeded. As technology keeps evolving, this clarity keeps our team on the same page, always moving forward together.

About the Author

Ayse Sancili is the driving force behind Theatech's innovative software development approach. As a Project Manager and Scrum Master, she has seamlessly integrated the principles of Scrum with the capabilities of Azure DevOps. Her belief in the power of visualization and structured workflows has shaped Theatech's development landscape, fostering collaboration, transparency, and excellence at every phase. Under her leadership, Theatech stands as a testament to the harmonious blend of process-driven strategies and cutting-edge tools.