When organizations transition to the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), one of the first questions that comes up is: Which hierarchy should we use in Jira? Some teams follow the SAFe hierarchy of Epic, Feature, Story structure. At first, the difference may look small, but the impact on teams, processes, and tools can be significant.
Choosing the right hierarchy depends on factors like alignment with SAFe principles, legacy Jira data, and the functionality your teams need. Let’s explore both options, the methods used in Jira, and the trade-offs that organizations should consider. Many organizations face a choice: stick with Jira’s default initiative-epic-story model or modify Jira to match SAFe’s epic-feature-story structure.
Two Common Jira Approaches
If you want to adopt Epic, Feature, Story inside Jira, there are two main ways:
- Epic-renaming method
- Rename the existing Jira epic to “feature.”
- Create a new issue type called “epic” above features.
- Epic-relinking method
- Keep Jira’s epic as-is.
- Create a new issue type “feature.”
- Link features with both epics and stories using issue links.
- Each method has pros and cons that impact alignment, legacy data, and functionality.
Key Factors to Consider
Legacy Data
If your Jira instance already has years of data, changing the meaning of epics can cause confusion and reporting issues. Epic-relinking is better for preserving historical data since you don’t touch the meaning of Jira’s epic. But this comes with a downside, Jira boards won’t easily show the breakdown of epics and stories, which limits visualization. If you’re starting fresh with Jira, you have more flexibility to use the renaming approach.
Functionality & Team Impact
When companies scale gradually into SAFe, not all teams move at once. Some may stay outside ARTs (Agile Release Trains) while others adopt SAFe practices. Epic-relinking minimizes disruption for non-SAFe teams since they don’t need to adjust until they are onboard. Epic-renaming forces immediate change across all teams, which could be good for consistency but disruptive in the short term. Careful planning is required to avoid confusion and unnecessary obstacles.
Alignment
If your goal is strict alignment with SAFe, the epic-feature-story hierarchy is a better fit. This way, your teams can use the same vocabulary they learn in SAFe training sessions or at the best Scrum training institute in Hyderabad and India, like HelloSM. However, renaming epics across all documentation takes effort. Since many in the Atlassian community stick to the native initiative-epic-story model, your teams may find themselves out of sync when collaborating with other Jira users.
Which Hierarchy Should You Choose?
There’s no universal answer. The right choice depends on your organization’s priorities, choose Initiative, Epic, Story if you want minimal setup effort and Jira-native functionality. Choose Epic-relinking if preserving legacy data matters most and you want minimal disruption for teams still outside SAFe. The best decision is the one that balances alignment, legacy, and functionality with your organization’s transformation pace.
If you’re unsure, consider professional guidance. Training providers like HelloSM, the best Scrum training institute in Hyderabad, can help teams understand SAFe practices, tools, and real-world implementation challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between SAFe’s Epic-Feature-Story and Jira’s Initiative-Epic-Story?
SAFe recommends breaking work into Epics, Features, Stories. Jira comes with Initiative, Epic, Story by default. The choice depends on whether you want to align with SAFe literature or stick to Jira-native structures.
Which approach works best for companies with existing Jira data?
Epic-relinking is better because it preserves legacy data and avoids confusion in historical reports.
Is Epic-renaming disruptive for teams?
Yes, it requires all teams to adopt the new terminology immediately, which can be disruptive but also ensures consistency across the organization.
How do I decide which hierarchy to use?
Focus on three factors: alignment with SAFe, impact on legacy data, and functionality for current and future teams.
Can training institutes help with this decision?
Yes. Institutes like HelloSM, the best Scrum training institute in Hyderabad and India, provide SAFe coaching to guide organizations in making the right Jira setup decisions.