Getting up to speed with Azure DevOps, Part 1: Azure Boards

As a teacher of Azure technologies, I often cover Microsoft Azure DevOps. DevOps is a complex product that includes various areas such as Repos, Boards, Test Cases, and Pipelines. Recently, I have been showing some technicians how to use Boards and Pipelines effectively to manage their projects. Though mastering DevOps takes time, getting up to speed is achievable within a short timeframe with the right approach.

Azure Boards is an Agile project management system that is considered part of Azure DevOps. It is an effective way to manage projects, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Boards comprise several different areas, including backlogs, which list the tasks that need to be done. Tasks can be categorized as "Work in Progress," "On Hold," or "Waiting for Something." Depending on the project method, Boards can use Agile or Scrum. Boards use Kanban boards, which provide a visual representation of your work. Kanban boards consist of drag-and-drop tiles, with unassigned items displayed on one side.

Suppose I'm the project owner and need to get some work done. In that case, I can assign it to my team in the context of tiles on a board. Opening the tiles reveals the details about the task and the option to assign it to someone. Additionally, a tile provides an estimate of the time it will take to complete the task. You can identify the task priority, risks, and the impact of completing the task ahead of time. Azure Kanban boards can be used in many ways, but they are designed primarily to manage software development projects.