Lean Canvas

Understand value & motivation behind your initiative

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Inspiration

Companies big or small can benefit from the Lean Canvas (built in this first release) or other flavours of the business model canvas. It provides a framework for methodically being clear about the value provided by business, the business model and because it's a living document, allows a systematic approach to introduce and prioritise changes/change-requests.

I built this because scanning the Atlassian Marketplace, I was unable to find any such macro, and I am hopeful that this fills a need and provides value for those who want to engage with such approach.

What it does

This macro allows one to create, and maintain a lean canvas with appropriate levels of customisation. In order to allow embeddability of the canvas alone, PDF export is supported - which then allows it to be embedded in other media/content.

How we built it

Build with main focus around functionality

Tech/Design choices

  • Forge
    • [x] CustomUI:
    • A WYSIWYG canvas editor needs richer experience provided by Custom UI combined with hooks
  • Confluence
    • [x] Storage of data using properties
    • Content resides with host. Page moves, migrations takes the data with it
    • Assumes access control & management (users and apps) is mature where the macro is installed

Challenges we ran into

UIKit vs CutomUI gaps. My initial preference was to have inline macros. But at the time when I started writing the app, it wasn't supported. It is supported now, but it is opinionated, and probably not easy to build the same experience as with Custom UI.

I spent many hours trying to get it to work with a local-first approach - specifically with StoryBook and Tailwind, so I could iterate much faster. This initial setup was challenging, but overcome (still some Forge issues remain)

There were other issues in the Forge platform:

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I think with minimal code, it's functional and serves a purpose. I'd use it in my day job, and that's what make me proud.

What we learned

Forge is a good platform, and I can attest it significantly lowered barrier to entry. I wouldn't have tried it if it wasn't so convenient.

Forge is also a WIP, and needs more work.

What's next for Lean Canvas

Philosophically, I think Jira and other apps shouldn't have this macro (that's not a customer's opinion, just mine) because a canvas alone is not much value without surrounding context which Confluence can provide better.

My Checklist of future features:

  • [ ] Future features:
    • [ ] Allow tagging jira tickets
    • [ ] Allow mentions
    • [ ] Allow realtime collaboration
    • [?] Integrate with Atlas to assist with when Forge has necessary APIs ready, to help clarify the questions: ** What are we doing? ** Why are we doing it?

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