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Centralize all Jira projects in one place. Create tickets, attach files and collaborate with full context from a single intuitive dashboard
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Create a ticket in seconds: choose a project, add a summary, add required fields and attach files—all in one window
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Complex Jira UI, unused licenses, and slow task management. Centralize simplify collaboration and help teams work faster with less friction
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Simple Board: add your projects and you’re set. Minimal setup to get started in seconds.
Inspiration
In many companies, non-technical users avoid opening Jira for fear of “breaking something” or getting lost among hundreds of options. This pushes them to handle requests via email or chat, creating chaos, poor traceability, and wasted time. SimpleDesk was created to bridge that gap: a friendly, task-focused interface that brings anyone into the Jira ecosystem with minimal friction and no painful learning curve.
What it does
SimpleDesk centralizes your interaction with Jira in a single app, designed for people who don’t use Jira every day:
- Create Ticket: open issues in the projects you choose, with essential fields, @mentions, and attachments.
- Inbox: a single inbox with issues you created or were mentioned in, with filters, search, comments, and files.
- Historical: a view of completed/canceled issues for quick reference.
- Settings: add or remove projects visible in SimpleDesk without touching Jira’s configuration.
How we built it
Built with Atlassian Forge, leveraging its managed runtime and Atlassian-native security. The app integrates with the Jira Cloud REST API to create, read, and comment on issues, and uses Forge UI components to deliver a simple, consistent experience. The design prioritizes the essentials, minimal fields, clear actions, visible states, to avoid overwhelming new users and build confidence.
Challenges we ran into
The main challenge was translating Jira’s complexity (fields, permissions, statuses, multiple projects) into an experience non-technical users can understand. Simplifying without losing power required careful UX decisions, what to show, when, and how to name it. We also tackled details like pagination and filtering for large inboxes, per-project permissions, and fast loading without sacrificing context.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
- A single inbox that prevents project-hopping and reduces reliance on email.
- A ticket-creation flow anyone can complete in seconds.
- Listing on the Atlassian Marketplace, validating the product’s quality and security.
- Clear language and a friendly UI that reduce Jira anxiety and drive cross-team adoption.
- Meets the RunsOnAtlassian requirements (built on Forge, Atlassian-hosted runtime, native security, Marketplace distribution)
What we learned
For non-technical users, the key is trust + clarity: simple labels, only the necessary fields, and immediate feedback. Micro-frictions (finding where to comment, attach, or filter) determine whether someone returns or drops off. Designing “for less”, showing just what’s needed, improves collaboration and speeds execution.
What's next for SimpleDesk – Project Tracking & Task Management for Jira
- Guided onboarding & tooltips for even smoother first steps.
- Notifications & subscriptions to relevant changes on your issues.
- Search & filter improvements (assignee, status, priority) plus safe bulk actions.
- Mobile & accessibility: polish responsiveness and keyboard shortcuts for faster work.
- Kanban boards (on the roadmap) to provide visual context without leaving SimpleDesk
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