Introduction to Azure Boards

  • 3 minutes

Azure Boards is Microsoft's comprehensive agile planning and tracking solution, designed to support teams using Agile, Scrum, Kanban, and custom methodologies. As part of the Azure DevOps suite, it provides enterprise-grade project management capabilities with deep integration across the entire software development lifecycle.

Core capabilities and competitive advantages

Enterprise-grade features:

  • Process customization: Adapt work item types, fields, and workflows to match your organization's needs
  • Scalable hierarchy: Manage everything from individual tasks to portfolio-level epics
  • Advanced reporting: Built-in analytics with customizable dashboards and Power BI integration
  • Cross-team coordination: Support for multiple teams, projects, and organizational structures
  • Compliance and governance: Audit trails, permissions, and enterprise security features

Supported methodologies out-of-the-box:

  • Agile: User stories, features, and epics with sprint planning
  • Scrum: Sprint management, burndown charts, and velocity tracking
  • Kanban: Continuous flow with WIP limits and cumulative flow diagrams
  • CMMI: Formal requirements and change management processes

Screenshot of Azure Boards Kanban board showing work items organized by swim lanes with work in progress limits and visual indicators for different work item types.

Work item hierarchy and management

Standard work item types and their purposes:

Work Item Type Purpose Typical Duration Contains
Epic Large business objectives or themes Quarters to years Multiple features
Feature Deliverable customer value Weeks to months Multiple user stories
User Story Specific user needs or requirements Days to weeks Multiple tasks
Task Implementation work Hours to days Specific development activities
Bug Defects or issues requiring fixes Hours to days Problem description and steps

Standard system fields and capabilities:

  • Discussion: Threaded comments for collaboration and decision tracking
  • History: Complete audit trail of all changes and updates
  • Links: Relationships between work items, commits, and external resources
  • Attachments: Supporting documents, images, and specifications
  • Tags: Flexible labeling for organization and filtering

Advanced querying and reporting

Azure Boards provides sophisticated query capabilities that go beyond simple filtering:

Query types and applications:

  • Flat list queries: Find work items with specific criteria (assigned to me, high priority bugs)
  • Tree queries: Show hierarchical relationships (epics with their features and stories)
  • Direct links queries: Display linked work items (blocked items, dependencies)

Common query scenarios:

  • Triage workflows: Group unassigned bugs by severity for team review
  • Sprint planning: Filter backlog items by priority and estimation
  • Bulk operations: Update multiple work items simultaneously
  • Dependency tracking: Identify cross-team dependencies and blockers
  • Progress reporting: Create status charts for stakeholder communication

Query-driven automation:

  • Email alerts: Notify stakeholders when specific conditions are met
  • Dashboard widgets: Display live query results on team dashboards
  • Power BI integration: Create advanced reports and analytics
  • API integration: Connect with external tools and systems

Delivery Plans: Portfolio-level coordination

Delivery Plans provide a strategic view for coordinating work across multiple teams and tracking dependencies in a calendar-based format. This feature is essential for organizations managing complex product portfolios or coordinating cross-functional initiatives.

Screenshot of Azure Delivery Plans showing a timeline view with multiple team backlogs, dependencies between work items, and progress indicators across different teams and iterations.

Enterprise coordination capabilities:

  • Multi-team visibility: View up to 15 team backlogs simultaneously, including teams from different projects
  • Portfolio management: Display custom portfolio backlogs, epics, and strategic initiatives
  • Timeline planning: Visualize work spanning multiple iterations and releases
  • Interactive management: Add and modify backlog items directly from the plan view

Dependency management features:

  • Cross-team dependencies: Visualize and track dependencies between different teams' work
  • Risk identification: Highlight potential scheduling conflicts and bottlenecks
  • Progress rollup: Monitor completion status of features, epics, and portfolio items
  • Milestone tracking: Align team deliverables with organizational deadlines

For more information about Azure Boards, see: