Azure DevOps Boards & Agile Project Management

Master Azure DevOps Boards for agile project management with this focused 2-day training. Learn to configure boards, customize work items, plan sprints, manage backlogs, build dashboards, write advanced queries, and leverage team analytics to drive continuous improvement across your development teams.

Training Details


Duration	2 days (16 hours)
Level	Intermediate
Delivery	In-person, Live online, Hybrid

Who Is This For?

Scrum masters and agile coaches using Azure DevOps
Project managers transitioning to agile methodologies
Team leads responsible for sprint planning and delivery
DevOps engineers looking to improve work tracking and traceability
Anyone managing software projects with Azure DevOps Boards

Learning Outcomes

After completing this training, you’ll be able to:

Configure Azure DevOps Boards for Scrum, Kanban, and custom processes
Create and customize work item types, fields, and rules
Plan and track sprints with velocity and burndown charts
Manage backlogs and portfolio hierarchies across teams
Build dashboards and reports for stakeholder visibility
Write advanced queries and use analytics for data-driven decisions
Integrate Boards with Azure Pipelines for end-to-end traceability
Establish team collaboration workflows and notification rules

Detailed Agenda

Day 1: Boards Configuration and Work Item Management

Module 1: Azure DevOps Boards Fundamentals

Boards overview and process templates (Scrum, Agile, CMMI, Basic)
Organization, project, and team configuration
Board columns, swimlanes, and WIP limits
Kanban board customization and card styles
Hands-on: Configure a team board with custom columns and swimlanes

Module 2: Work Item Types and Customization

Built-in work item types and hierarchies
Custom fields, rules, and states
Work item templates and default values
Process customization (inherited vs. XML processes)
Hands-on: Create custom work item types and field rules

Module 3: Sprint Planning and Tracking

Sprint setup, capacity planning, and assignment
Task breakdown and effort estimation
Burndown charts and velocity tracking
Sprint retrospectives and iteration paths
Hands-on: Plan and execute a sprint with full tracking

Day 2: Backlogs, Dashboards, and Analytics

Module 4: Backlogs and Portfolio Management

Product backlog refinement and prioritization
Portfolio backlogs (Epics, Features, Stories)
Multi-team backlog management and dependencies
Delivery plans and cross-team visibility
Hands-on: Build a portfolio hierarchy with delivery plans

Module 5: Dashboards and Reporting

Dashboard creation and widget configuration
Built-in charts (burndown, velocity, cumulative flow)
Power BI integration with Analytics views
Stakeholder dashboards and sharing
Hands-on: Build team and stakeholder dashboards

Module 6: Queries, Analytics, and Integration

Flat, tree, and direct links query types
Advanced query operators and saved queries
Analytics service and OData queries
Integration with Azure Pipelines for traceability
Team collaboration, notifications, and mentions
Hands-on: Create advanced queries and pipeline-linked work items

Prerequisites

Basic familiarity with Azure DevOps
Understanding of agile or Scrum methodology
Team lead or project management experience helpful

Delivery Formats

Format	Description
In-Person	On-site at your company’s location, hands-on with direct interaction
Live Online	Interactive virtual sessions with screen sharing and real-time labs
Hybrid	Combination of on-site and remote sessions, flexible scheduling

All formats include hands-on labs, course materials, and post-training support.