Getting Started with Work Type Focus in Jira
Welcome to the Work Type Focus setup and usage guide. Follow these steps to install and use the Work Type Focus model in Jira.
1. Installation
Before using Work Type Focus, make sure you have administrator rights in your Jira workspace.
Log in to your Jira instance and navigate to (top-right) → Work Items, under Jira admin settings.
Then select in the menu on the left: Fields, under the Fields section.
2. Setup in Jira
Press the button Create new field in the top right of this screen.
Choose Select List (single choice) as the field type, and name the field Work Type.
Set up the following values for the Work Type field:
- Unplanned Work / Interruptions
- Manage Complexity
- Enhance Existing Capabilities
- Add New Capabilities
- Unstructured Innovation / Experimentation
Once complete, click Create to save your custom field.
3. Assign the Field to Screens
To make sure the Work Type field is visible when creating or editing issues, you’ll need to add it to the relevant screens in Jira.
Navigate to Screens under the Screens section in the Jira admin menu.
You can either:
- Add the field to the Default Screen (applies across most projects and issue types), or
- Add the field to the specific screens you use in your projects.
We recommend making the field mandatory, so every issue is categorized by Work Type.
4. Classify and Use Work Type Focus
Once the Work Type field is available, you can begin classifying Jira items directly.
Navigate to your project board and ensure that each issue has a work type selected.
If the Work Type Focus app is not visible, use the “+” button to add it to your overview.
With Work Type Focus, you can see your all-time data, or filter the view by specific time ranges or sprints for detailed insights.
