The New Collective Term for All Items

In a significant move to evolve its platform, Atlassian has announced a terminology update for Jira. Starting April 2025, the term ‘work’ will replace the traditional term ‘issue’ across Jira Cloud products. This change aligns with the modern needs of diverse teams and aims to make Jira a more inclusive and adaptable tool for managing IT Service Management (ITSM) and other workflows.

Why the Change Matters for ITSM Professionals

As organizations increasingly rely on ITSM tools to streamline operations, the language used within these tools must reflect the diverse ways teams define and manage their tasks. Jira’s shift from ‘issue’ to ‘work’ simplifies communication and ensures the platform resonates with IT teams, marketing teams, and beyond. This move aligns with ITSM Connect’s mission to empower businesses with innovative IT solutions that enhance productivity and resilience.

Key Updates Relevant to ITSM

1. Terminology Transition:

   • ‘Work’ and ‘work item’ will replace ‘issue’ across Jira Cloud.

   • While the term ‘issue’ remains in admin settings temporarily, this inconsistency will be resolved soon.

2. Backward Compatibility:

   • APIs, JQL filters, and saved searches will continue to support the term ‘issue’ to ensure a smooth transition.

   • New APIs will adopt the term ‘work item.’

3. Customizable Workflows:

   • Teams can define their unique work types, aligning with specific ITSM workflows like incident management, problem resolution, and service requests.

4. Dynamic Language Adaptation:

   • Jira will dynamically adjust its language based on the type of work being managed, providing a personalized experience for ITSM teams.

5. Enhanced Notifications:

   • Notifications will now specify the type of work involved, offering more clarity for IT service tasks, whether it’s resolving a bug, managing a service request, or planning a change.

   
   

Rollout Timeline

The updates are already live for Free and Standard plan users. Premium and Enterprise users will see the changes starting April 14, 2025. Full deployment is expected by July 2025, with sandbox previews available in mid-June.

Addressing ITSM-Specific Concerns

Atlassian has clarified several points to ease the transition for ITSM teams:

• Custom Fields & Automation: Existing custom fields and automation rules remain unaffected, ensuring no disruption to workflows.

• Language Updates: The new terminology will roll out across multiple languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese, ensuring accessibility for global ITSM teams.

The Bigger Picture for ITSM

This update is part of a broader strategy to make Jira adaptable for ITSM professionals. By introducing ‘work’ as a collective term, Atlassian is reducing reliance on rigid descriptors and empowering teams to define their workflows in their own terms. This aligns with ITSM Connect’s focus on enhancing ITSM practices to prevent service outages, optimize performance, and improve ROI.

What’s Next for ITSM Teams?

ITSM Connect is closely monitoring these updates to provide actionable insights for ITSM professionals. Our upcoming resources, including guides and podcasts, will explore how these changes can enhance ITSM strategies. Stay tuned for more!