Most Jira dashboards are cluttered with widgets that show impressive charts but reveal little about actual project health. The key isn't more data—it's the right widget combinations that tell a complete story.
The Velocity + Scope Creep Combo
Pair the Velocity Chart with a Created vs Resolved Issues chart filtered by your current sprint/release. This combination instantly reveals if your team is keeping pace with incoming work.
Set up the Created vs Resolved widget by navigating to Add Gadget > Created vs Resolved Issues. Configure it to show the last 30 days with your project filter. When creation consistently exceeds resolution, you're accumulating technical debt.
The Bottleneck Detection Trio
Use these three widgets side-by-side: Average Age Chart, Resolution Time, and a Filter Results gadget showing issues in "In Progress" status longer than 5 days.
The Average Age Chart shows work getting stale, Resolution Time reveals process efficiency, and the filter catches specific stuck items. This trio immediately highlights where your workflow breaks down.
The Quality Health Check
Combine a Two Dimensional Filter Statistics gadget (X-axis: Assignee, Y-axis: Priority) with a Filter Results showing recently reopened issues. Add a Pie Chart showing issue types for the current release.
This setup reveals workload distribution, quality problems (reopened issues), and whether you're building features vs. fixing bugs. Configure the Two Dimensional gadget by selecting Add Gadget > Two Dimensional Filter Statistics and choosing your project filter.
Pro Tip
Create separate dashboards for different audiences. Project managers need the Velocity combo, developers benefit from the Bottleneck trio, and stakeholders want the Quality check. Share dashboard URLs rather than forcing everyone to use the same view.
Effective dashboards don't just display data—they guide decisions. These combinations turn Jira metrics into actionable insights that actually improve project outcomes.