Skip to content

change-process-basic-to-agile.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
165 lines (97 loc) · 10.5 KB

change-process-basic-to-agile.md

File metadata and controls

165 lines (97 loc) · 10.5 KB
title Change project process from Basic to Agile
titleSuffix Azure Boards
description Steps to change the process for your project from Basic to Agile.
ms.service azure-devops-boards
ms.topic how-to
ms.author chcomley
author chcomley
ms.reviewer dahellem
monikerRange >= azure-devops-2020
ms.date 07/16/2024

Change a project process from Basic to Agile

[!INCLUDE version-gt-eq-2020]

If you want to switch from the Basic process to an inherited Agile process for your project, follow the steps in this article.

Before you change your process, you should learn about the new process you're switching to. The Basic and Agile processes have the same Task and Epic work item types, but most of the values for the State and Reason fields are different.

  Process Work item types Workflow
Basic Basic work item types basic workflow
Agile Agile work item types Agile workflow

Let's break down some of the benefits of transitioning your process from Basic to Agile:

  • Separate bug tracking: In the Agile process, you can create separate work items specifically for tracking code defects (bugs). This action allows you to manage them independently from other work items like issues and user stories.
  • Agile workflow states: Unlike the Basic process, Agile introduces different workflow states. These states align with Agile principles and help you manage work items more effectively. For example, you have states like "To Do," "In Progress," "Done," and others.
  • Portfolio backlogs: Agile provides access to both Feature and Epic portfolio backlogs. These backlogs allow you to organize and prioritize work items at a higher level, making it easier to plan and manage your project.
  • Customized inherited process: If your organization requires a customized process based on Agile principles, transitioning to Agile ensures compliance. You can tailor the process to your team’s specific needs while still following Agile practices.

For more information, see About processes and process templates.

Prerequisites

[!INCLUDE temp]

[!INCLUDE image-differences]

Change the process

:::moniker range="azure-devops"

  1. Sign in to your organization: https://dev.azure.com/{Your_Organization}.

  2. Select :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/gear-icon.png" border="false"::: Organization settings.

    :::image type="content" source="../../../media/open-organization-settings.png" alt-text="Screenshot of highlighted Organization settings button.":::

  3. Select Process, and then choose Basic.

    :::image type="content" source="../../../media/settings/open-process-page-basic.png" alt-text="Screenshot of highlighted Process tab.":::

  4. Select Projects.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/choose-basic-process-projects.png" alt-text="Screenshot of highlighted Projects tab.":::

  5. For the project you want to change, select the :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/actions-icon.png" border="false"::: actions icon and select Change process and follow the steps in the wizard.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-process-basic-to-agile.png" alt-text="Screenshot of highlighted Change process selection.":::

  6. Choose Agile from the dropdown menu, and then select Save.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-process-basic-to-agile-wizard-choose-agile.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Agile process selection.":::

    The wizard displays the following information. Notice the steps to manually update your work items and board settings and Close the window.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-process-basic-to-agile-wizard-choose-agile-complete.png" alt-text="Screenshot of completion page.":::

  7. (Optional) If you had existing work items, manually update work items and board settings.

    1. Update the column to state mapping for each team board.
    2. Update existing work items using the work item types set by the target process.
    3. Update existing work items using the correct state model of the target process. ::: moniker-end

:::moniker range="< azure-devops"

  1. Sign in to your collection.

  2. Select :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/gear-icon.png" border="false"::: Collection settings > Process > Basic > Projects.

  3. For the project you want to change, select the :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/actions-icon.png" border="false"::: actions icon and select Change process and follow the steps in the wizard.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-process-basic-to-agile.png" alt-text="Screenshot of highlighted Change process selection.":::

  4. Choose Agile from the dropdown menu, and then select Save.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-process-basic-to-agile-wizard-choose-agile.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Agile process selection.":::

    The wizard displays the following information. Notice the steps to manually update your work items and board settings and Close the window.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-process-basic-to-agile-wizard-choose-agile-complete.png" alt-text="Screenshot of completion page.":::

  5. (Optional) If you had existing work items, manually update work items and board settings.

    1. Update the column to state mapping for each team board.
    2. Update existing work items using the work item types set by the target process.
    3. Update existing work items using the correct state model of the target process.

:::moniker-end

Update board column-to-state settings

You can customize boards to display intermediate columns. For each column added, you must choose a valid workflow state for the work item types displayed on the board. For more information, see Workflow states & state categories.

  1. For each team, open your board, and then select Correct this now or select the :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/blue-gear.png" border="false"::: gear icon to configure the board settings.

    The Settings dialog opens. Those tabs that display a :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/required-icon.png" border="false"::: required icon need correction.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/kanban-stories-column-settings-to-correct.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Column dialog with settings to correct.":::

  2. Rename each column and choose the correct state for each column so that the column-to-state mapping is correct. As needed, add one or more columns. Save your work. For more information, see Manage columns on your board.

Update work items

  1. Create a query to get a list of all Issues, Tasks, and Epics.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/query-basic-items.png" alt-text="Screenshot of querying all items.":::

  2. Edit your columns to be sure you show the State and Reason fields. Select the Sorting tab, and then set it to sort the list by work item type and state value.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/query-column-sort.png" alt-text="Screenshot of column options dialog, sort tab.":::

    For more information, see Bulk add and modify work items in Excel.

  3. Select Results to show the list of work items.

  4. Highlight all Issues, choose the :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/actions-icon.png" border="false"::: actions icon, select Change type, and change the type to User Story and Save.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/change-type-to-user-story.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the Change type dialog.":::

    You might receive errors where the work item type and the state are mismatched. In that case, you can't save your changes until you update the state, which is described in the next step.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/edit-doing-work-item-state.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing error state of changed work item type.":::

  5. Sort the work items by the State column, highlight all work items of the same State, such as Doing, choose the :::image type="icon" source="../../../media/icons/actions-icon.png" border="false"::: actions icon, and then select Edit. Add the State field and select Active for the value. For more information, see Bulk edit work items.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/edit-doing-work-item-state.png" alt-text="Screenshot of editing a work item state.":::

  6. Repeat these steps for the Done state, changing it to Closed; and the To Do state, changing it to New.

  7. Save your changes.

Verify your changes

  1. Go to your team backlog and review the user stories.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/backlog-basic-to-agile.png" alt-text="Screenshot of team backlog.":::

    To change any user stories to bugs, do so now using bulk update and update the Change type. If you want to show bugs at the same level as user stories, make that change now. For more information, see Show bugs on backlogs and boards.

  2. Go to your team board and verify that the column settings are valid.

    :::image type="content" source="media/change-process/board-user-story.png" alt-text="Screenshot of board columns.":::

Related articles