automatic update of task/story status

[Rene Rosendahl]

As background: We have our status values defined as open/in progress/blocked/complete.

Since human beings are not always primarily focused on keeping data fully up-to-date, we often see the following situations:

·       The first person starts work on a new story (picks up a task & logs hours), but fails to change task status to “in progress”.

·       Task status is changed to “in progress”, but the story status is not properly updated and remains at “open”.

·       People close tasks while their status is something other than “complete”.

·       Story status is set to “complete” while some tasks remain in a status other than “complete” and/or have to do > 0.

Common questions I get are: Why doesn’t the system do this automatically? Or: Why does the system allow this to happen?

I understand that VersionOne doesn’t “understand” what the statuses “mean” because it’s a list of values that’s custom and specific to the implementation. VersionOne only knows if something is open or closed.

Then again, with a little parameterization, one could address a number of these issues: If there were (optional) parameters like “in progress status: A” and “final status: B” or something, the system could automatically update task and story status to “A” as soon as hours are burned. Then, when tasks or stories are closed, the status could default to “B” (with the user being able to overwrite if necessary).

I understand that this would lead to a more interpretative view of the status fields. Right now they are seen as independent from open/closed and VersionOne couldn’t care less about the status values. But by tying them together at least loosely, it would greatly help users with keeping data accurate.

What do you guys think? Do you have similar challenges? How do you define your list of statuses and how do you get teams to keep them current?

Thanks,

René

 

[Kevin S.]

I would love to remove the status column altogether and just use the
to do column as an indication of status (different than estimate = in
progress, zero = done). I could have done this in my last group since
we had a physical taskboard in our team room and would have only used
V1 to track the tasks and burndown.

In my current group I can't do this and these questions come up a lot
because we are maturing into agile. People like the status more than
the to do as a measurement of progress. We do our best to balance the
issues and I try to keep focusing people on distance from DONE. It
might be nice if the system could be configured to have status updates
based on other event triggers, but I fear it only keeps people from
understanding agile practices better as they rely on GANTT-like
statusing.

As for your 4 points, I completely ignore the last issue. If the
story or task is closed, then that overrides whatever the status may
or may not say (it helps that the to do is cleared in the process).

On Nov 3, 4:41 pm, "Rene Rosendahl" <rrosend...@kbb.com> wrote:
> As background: We have our status values defined as open/in progress/blocked/complete.
>
> Since human beings are not always primarily focused on keeping data fully up-to-date, we often see the following situations:

> *       The first person starts work on a new story (picks up a task & logs hours), but fails to change task status to "in progress".
> *       Task status is changed to "in progress", but the story status is not properly updated and remains at "open".
> *       People close tasks while their status is something other than "complete".
> *       Story status is set to "complete" while some tasks remain in a status other than "complete" and/or have to do > 0.

[Jim....@bentley.com]

Is there any way to assign the same custom field to both a story and a defect?  Otherwise I have to add them in both places and end up with 2 columns for the same field when stories and defects are displayed together:

 

 

Thanks,

Jim

[Luanne]

Jim,

You can do this via the Custom Columns tab. Select the Assign Field
option and choose the additional column you created. Once you assign
it you can then delete the column you just assigned.

-Luanne

> Thanks,
>
> Jim
>
>  image001.png
> 35KViewDownload

[Luanne]

I'd like to hear from others on this request...would this help your
teams?

-Luanne

> > René- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Jeff Pek]

My $.02: I kind of like having a separate status field. It lets you mark things as "In Progress" vs. "Not Started", and separates the issue of how much work is left.

It wouldn't give me great heartburn to lose that, but it seems less intuitive to me.

I think it does make sense to give more tie-in between the involved fields, to avoid things getting out of synch.

Jeff

[Lea Rush]

It would cause trouble for our team, for the same reason given by Jeff Pek.
I would add more emphasis, because our list of Status conditions has several
other 'steps' which are very useful to us.

My $0.02,
Lea

_________________________________

Lea Rush
Software and Documentation Specialist
Astoria-Pacific International
PO Box 830 Clackamas OR 97015
PH: 800-657-3010
FAX: 503-655-7367

> -----Original Message-----
> From: versiono...@googlegroups.com [mailto:versionone-
> us...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Luanne
> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:32 AM
> To: VersionOne-users
> Subject: Re: automatic update of task/story status
>
>

[Stout, Michael]

If you removed "Status" from tasks how would the "Taskboard" work? We use and love the Taskboard.

[Kevin S.]

I doubt that Luanne's question was about removing the status column
from the system... my remark about removal is simply a reference to
the admin being able to configure it as hidden from view.

I believe she is asking if there is value in having the status field
automatically be updated by the change in other fields. For example,
should the status column be set to completed if the to do is set to a
zero value?

I see pro's and con's for this feature... I would possibly use it if
it was easily configurable, but it might cost more than its worth
compared to other things we might want V1 to build for us.

[Stout, Michael]

I’m in favor of automatic state transition.

[David Koontz]

That one issue, that the To Do units do not get zeroed when the task
is set to Complete has come up with our developers. They are ready to
hack the code to fix it - in other words it's a big issue to
developers that are conditioned to remove duplication from _their_
code, to have well factored code. But then must use a tool that
requires them to *work*for*the*tool* and duplicate their work.

I can see that some groups would like to use these fields as
independent, that's OK with me (their just wrong - but they will wake
up one day). V1 could make this a system configuration value ON/OFF of
Complete equals zero To Do - feature.

David

-----Original Message-----
From: versiono...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:versiono...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kevin S.

[Luanne]

First off, thanks Kevin for clarifying what I was asking...you were
right on!

Based on the feedback, I'm submitting the following request based on
the original request from Rene:

"If there were (optional) parameters like "in progress status: A" and
"final status: B" or something, the system could automatically update
task and story status to "A" as soon as hours are burned. Then, when
tasks or stories are closed, the status could default to "B" (with the
user being able to overwrite if necessary)."

A Configurable update of Status based on the following:

If a task/story "ToDo" value is updated, default the status to
"A" (where A is configurable)
If a task/story "ToDo" value is set to Zero, default the status to
"B" (where B is configurable)
If a task/story is Closed, default the status to "C" (Where C is
configurable)

When you close a task today, it automatically zeros out the "ToDo"
values and prompts you to change the status. So if you have a default
selected, it would potentially populate the status and continue to pop
up the screen or not...I'll leave that up to the development team to
determine the best way to implement :)

-Luanne

> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -

[Rene Rosendahl]

Sounds good to me! :)

Rene

[Stef]

This is an item of high interest for my team as well.

I have a question on something else you wrote: "So if you have a

default
selected, it would potentially populate the status and continue to
pop

up the screen or not..." how can we get a default value selected in
the status menu? When we close a story, the Status dropdown defaults
to blank. Or did you mean that one way to solve this issue was to
develope a way to set a default value within V1?

Thanks!
-Stef

On Nov 18, 11:12 am, "Rene Rosendahl" <rrosend...@kbb.com> wrote:
> Sounds good to me! :)
>
> Rene
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: versiono...@googlegroups.com [mailto:versiono...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Luanne
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 3:27 PM
> To: VersionOne-users
>

> Cc: Supp...@versionone.com
> Subject: Re:automaticupdateof task/story status

>
> First off, thanks Kevin for clarifying what I was asking...you were
> right on!
>
> Based on the feedback, I'm submitting the following request based on
> the original request from Rene:
>
> "If there were (optional) parameters like "in progress status: A" and
> "final status: B" or something, the system could automaticallyupdate
> task and story status to "A" as soon as hours are burned. Then, when
> tasks or stories are closed, the status could default to "B" (with the
> user being able to overwrite if necessary)."
>

> A Configurableupdateof Status based on the following:

> > Subject: Re:automaticupdateof task/story status

> > could automaticallyupdatetask and story status to "A" as soon as

[Luanne]

The goal would be to also set the status of a story when closing via
an admin option.

-Luanne

[Maggie Bullington]

Now available in the Winter '09 Release:

Transitions

Transitions are shortcuts that allow you to impact multiple values with a single action. The transitions show up as options in the action menus on grids and the Taskboard / Testboard pages. New transitions are:

Sign Up - assign me as owner and optionally update status
Quick Close - close the item and optionally update status

A default set of status updates are applied when Transitions are enabled. System Administrators have the ability to modify the status values for each type of update, including the ability to make no change at all. Transitions are automatically enabled when systems are upgraded, so be sure to review the configured Status values to ensure they are appropriate for your organization.

http://community.versionone.com/Release%20Notes/Enterprise90Winter2009.aspx

Enjoy.
-Maggie

-----Original Message-----
From: versiono...@googlegroups.com [mailto:versiono...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Luanne
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 10:33 AM
To: VersionOne-users

Subject: Re: automatic update of task/story status

[Anne Larsen]

Luanne,

Could you elaborate on this?  I have tried it several ways and still have multiple fields for the same drop downs for my stories, defects and tasks.

Thanks

Anne

[Hesself]

What was the original question?

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[Anne Larsen]

Here is the original thread.