Quick start Guide- Set up dragonboat

If you’re an owner/admin setting up Dragonboat for a small team (less than 10 PMs) follow this guide to get started.

With this guide you’ll be able to:

1. Build your product operating structure
2. Create roadmaps using template
3. Create and Save Views
4. Write up your setup doc and link to account settings
5. Invite and Share with your team
6. Check out other capabilities

#1-Build your product operating structure 

(Estimated Time: 25 minutes)

As a Dragonboat owner/admin you can build your product operating structure to be used by your team.

To make rolling out seamless, customize Dragonboat portfolio items match your organization's vocabulary.

There are 2 types of portfolio items

1. Requests (or insight, feedback) - that are not yet product solutions. They often come from external (to product) teams. 
2. Product solutions with varying scope/ size. Idea is equivalent to a feature or project or epic. Initiative is a level higher and in larger organizations there may be even bigger scope e.g. strategic bets. See more details here.

Here’s How to customize:

From Account Settings, hover over the item in the “rename to” column and type to edit:

Under portfolio Data you can rename portfolio data fields such as Roadmap to Product Team by clicking the pencil icon and typing in-line to update:

 

#2-Create roadmaps using templates

(Estimated Time: 20 minutes)

With Dragonboat you can create multiple roadmap formats with real-time data. Choose from one of the below roadmap templates to get started:

1. Outcome Based Roadmap 
2. Quarterly Roadmap
3. Theme Based Roadmap

Outcome Based Roadmap

An outcome based roadmap gives context to roadmap items and their prioritization by focusing not only on the “what” (outputs) but also the “why” (outcomes).

1. Group by “Goal” and then by “Roadmap”
2. Click to edit goals from demo data OR 
3. + Add a new goal
4. Roadmap reflects your teams
5. Mouse over in cell to add a new roadmap items
6. Use filter to show/ hide roadmap items
7. Save view to visit or share later

 

Quarterly Roadmap

Quarterly roadmaps allow teams to focus on the company’s specific needs at a specific time. This type of roadmap format helps structure their product roadmap over a longer-term product roadmap and highlights how they plan to execute within each quarter.

From the Portfolio Module, select 3D Dynamic View

1. Portfolio > 3D Dynamic
2. Group By “timeframe” and then by “Product Team” or “Roadmap”
3. Click to edit timeframe from demo data OR
4. Add a new time frame (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)
5. Use the display drop-down to view different hierarchy levels 
6. Hover over and click + new to add features/ideas
7. Drag and drop epics to easily plan for current and upcoming quarters
8. Save view to revisit or share later

For more details, check out our step-by-step guide for performing quarterly planning with Dragonboat

 

Theme Based Roadmap

A theme based roadmap is similar to the outcome-focused or goal focused roadmap approach but is more centered on the area of focus than the outcome. With this roadmap format, initiatives and ideas are sorted and prioritized into high-level strategic roadmap categories. 

1. Portfolio > 3D Dynamic View 
2. Group By "Theme" then by additional grouping such as roadmap/product or timeframe
3. Click to edit themes from demo data OR
4. Add a new theme (i.e grow core business, innovate for future, expand to new market)
5. Hover in box and click + add new to add features/initiatives under theme 
6. View at different hierarchy levels
7. Click the three-dot menu to choose additional details to display on roadmap view
8. Save view to visit later

Want to see additional roadmap formats? Check out our guide for 10 common roadmap formats to create with Dragonboat

#3-Create and Save Views

(Estimated Time 10 minutes)

A View represents what is displayed on a page. Once you’ve set up one of the above templates you can this view (as well as any others) to come back to or to share with your stakeholders by following the below steps. More details about saving and sharing views can be found here

1. Use filters to select what ideas to be included in this view. You may use a saved filter or create a new set of selections in Advanced Search.Here is our detailed filter guide.

2. Select Display Preferences (or Show Fields)and customize the page display, e.g. select what fields you'd like to display in this view.

3. Select View and enter an informative name since it'll be shared with your audience. e.g. Feature by Quarter for the Sales team, and click "Save and Share".

When saving views use an informative name since you’ll be sharing with different audiences e.g. Outcome Based Roadmap for Executive Team.

#4-Write up your setup and link to account settings 

(Estimated Time: 20 minutes)

To help new team members get started and understand how you’ve customized Dragonboat, write your setup in a doc and paste the link to your account settings for easy reference. You can also paste this guide to help newly invited team members get started.

Here’s an example of what your set up doc can include:

#5-Invite and Share With Your Team

(Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

Now it's time to get your team and stakeholders onboard and share your roadmap views. 

Invite Your Team 

You can invite your team by selecting Invite from the + on the top navigation. This will allow you to type the name and email and set the permission level.  You can also import users or add them directly from the settings page.

Share Views With Others

Click the view icon to navigate to the view you want to share  

You can click the share icon and share with your entire organization or selecting “only these users” and using the @ symbol you can mention users and they will automatically add this view to their list of Views. 

You may also copy the 'View URL' to share via Slack or email and click “Preview” to see how it will look on the screen of your recipients.

#6-Check Out Additional Capabilities:

• Integrate with Jira to push epics and pull in progresses
• Prioritize features using RICE, MoAR or customized scoring
• Intake / manage requests

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Questions? Reach us directly via Help or join our Slack community.