As we wrap up the SDLC in Atlassian series, I want to share practical advice for successfully launching this initiative. A strong start will sustain your momentum and ensure a smooth landing.
Identify the business impact
Moving your SDLC to Atlassian is neither quick nor easy. Change affects key people across functions and requires significant tool configuration. Without a clear, compelling reason, it’s hard to gain support or maintain momentum.
Your 'why' will also help set priorities and guide your SDLC work—every initiative is unique. There’s no universal solution.
Here are the three most frequent whys that I have seen:
Quicker flow to release: The most impactful why is when an organisation feels too slow in updating products or systems. For example, a medical laboratory runs on highly advanced, tailored systems. When a patient sample arrives, someone in the world waits for the results, so their cancer treatment can be tailored to their specific needs. Sometimes, a software fix must be made to a system to handle that sample. Delivering this system fix quickly and safely is extremely important, yet impossible if the lab does not have the right process in place.
Develop a compliant SDLC for organisations that did not previously require one: Are you a high-tech organisation entering a regulated domain? For example, a company with a calorie-counting app moves into blood pressure management. Now they face heightened regulatory requirements. They need to manage requirements and tests more systematically. Building their SDLC in Atlassian can help solve this challenge.
Remove waste: Excessive documentation, too many signatures and approvals, transferring data between too many systems and formats. These are just three examples of waste in bloated SDLC practices. People know things can be better, and they are right.
Prohibitive costs of legacy systems: Traditional SDLC systems are expensive. If your team already uses Atlassian, moving SDLC into it offers an attractive cost profile—even after factoring in extra app licenses.
Get enough buy-in, backed by sufficient budget and a strong sponsor
For enterprises, building an SDLC in Atlassian is a significant undertaking, but it’s certainly manageable. Here are some ballpark estimates based on previous successful projects:
Let's assume an organization with a few thousand members across product, development, and testing. The engineers are already working on Atlassian, but requirements and tests are managed in a myriad of other tools.
Configuring and transitioning pilot teams typically needs a dedicated in-house team of three or four, plus consulting from a senior Atlassian expert and input from involved teams.
Expect the process to take six to ten months.
After a successful pilot, you’ll move the remaining teams and data to the new system. This often requires an investment similar to the initial rollout, depending on each group’s starting point.
Besides budgeting, stay realistic about timelines. Don’t oversell ease or speed—use your 'why' to secure time and set achievable expectations.
Due to the magnitude of the effort and its wide-ranging impact on multiple teams, it’s vital that the project team reports directly to a senior manager with sufficient influence within the organization. This is really a prerequisite.
Build a team for the journey
The team delivering an SDLC transformation must have a core of full-time members, led by someone with authority and responsibility.
SDLC transformation succeeds only when the leader is fully dedicated to the effort. That leader needs a few team members whose top priority is delivering this change. Others will also be involved, but this core group is essential. Without it, extra investment is likely to be wasted. Wait until you have this core team in place before starting.
No, don’t bring in an external resource to lead this effort. Externals often lack the necessary stakes and authority for SDLC transformation.
Your project manager needs strong experience with regulated products, SDLC and quality practices, and Atlassian. They must also be able to drive organizational change. The right leader makes the difference between success and failure.
When the core team is in place, support them with Subject Matter Experts (SME) and external consultants.
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Quality, Validation, and Design Controls SME: to guide minimum requirements so our SDLC passes audits, inspections, and complies with the Quality Management System.
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SMEs from Test Management, Product Management, and Engineering.
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An experienced Atlassian solution partner can make a big difference in SDLC configuration. Some organizations have in-house Atlassian expertise, but it’s rare to cover all SDLC skills internally. Our team has hands-on experience supporting SDLC projects in Atlassian and is happy to offer guidance or practical support if needed. [LINK]
Scope the Pilot
The pilot is the first real test—teams use the new Atlassian SDLC setup to deliver actual work and demonstrate the business impact of the change. This step is vital for ironing out issues and refining the initial configuration.
Identify your pilot teams early and make sure they provide feedback throughout the project. Choose teams actively developing high-profile products or systems that are comfortable with Jira and supportive of using Atlassian for SDLC. If several teams are interested, that’s a good sign. Don’t limit the scope too much. A slightly larger pilot yields richer feedback and creates more advocates, which in turn helps the broader initiative.
A larger pilot has higher stakes, so allocate enough resources to support everyone.
Get started
By focusing on your 'why,' securing buy-in and budget, building the right team, and scoping your pilot thoroughly, you position yourself for a successful SDLC launch in Atlassian. Use this guide to stay aligned and move forward with confidence: