The Problem: Lost in Translation
Most project management tools force you to think in abstractions:
- “User stories” that aren’t actually stories
- “Epics” that don’t feel epic
- “Backlogs” that become graveyards
- “Increments” that nobody understands
The result? Teams spend more time translating concepts than doing work.
Sinra takes a different approach: concrete hierarchy that mirrors how work actually happens.
Let’s follow a real feature from start to finish.
The Feature: Two-Factor Authentication
Your team decides to add two-factor authentication (2FA) to your SaaS product.
In traditional tools, you might create:
- A “user story” for 2FA
- Multiple “sub-tasks”
- An “epic” to group them
- Tags to track testing
- Custom fields for release targeting
In Sinra, the structure is simpler and more direct.
Level 1: Issues (The Building Blocks)
Issues are individual work items. Bugs, tasks, features - anything a person does is an issue.
For 2FA, you create these issues:
Backend Issues:
- “Implement TOTP token generation”
- “Create 2FA enrollment API endpoint”
- “Add 2FA verification to login flow”
- “Generate backup codes on enrollment”
Frontend Issues: 5. “Build 2FA setup page UI” 6. “Add QR code scanner component” 7. “Create backup codes download interface” 8. “Update login form with 2FA input”
Testing Issues: 9. “Write unit tests for TOTP validation” 10. “Test 2FA enrollment flow” 11. “Test 2FA login verification” 12. “Test backup code recovery”
Each issue has:
- A clear title (what needs to be done)
- A description (context and requirements)
- An assignee (who’s doing it)
- A status (writing → development → review → testing → done)
- Labels (backend, frontend, security, etc.)
Issues are the atomic unit of work. Everything starts here.
Level 2: Capabilities (Grouping Related Work)
Capabilities are features or initiatives tracked in your releases. They organize work at a higher level than issues.
For 2FA, you create a capability called: “Two-Factor Authentication”
This capability includes:
- All 12 issues listed above
- Acceptance criteria for the feature
- Dependencies (e.g., requires SMS provider integration)
- Target release (e.g., Release 2.1)
Why “capability” instead of “epic”?
Because it’s concrete. A capability describes what your product can do. “2FA capability” means your product can do two-factor authentication. No metaphor required.
Capabilities let you see:
- Progress across all related issues
- Who’s working on what parts
- Testing coverage
- Blockers and dependencies
- Release readiness
Level 3: Releases (Defining What Ships)
Releases are versions of your product. They’re concrete, numbered, and shipped.
You assign the 2FA capability to Release 2.1.
Release 2.1 might include:
- Two-Factor Authentication (new capability)
- Password reset improvements (existing capability)
- Bug fixes for login page (individual issues)
Releases answer the critical question: “What are we shipping, and when?”
In Release 2.1 view, you see:
- All capabilities assigned to this release
- Progress on each capability
- Individual issues not grouped in capabilities
- Testing status
- Deployment readiness
The Complete Hierarchy in Action
Let’s trace the 2FA feature through the system:
Week 1-2: Planning
Action: Product team defines the 2FA capability
- Write requirements in the capability description
- Create 12 issues (backend, frontend, testing)
- Assign issues to developers and QA engineers
- Set target release: 2.1
- Add to current cycle
Visibility: Everyone sees:
- What issues exist
- Who’s assigned to what
- What the acceptance criteria are
- When it’s expected to ship
Week 3-4: Development
Action: Team starts building
- Backend developer marks “Implement TOTP” as in_progress
- Frontend developer marks “Build 2FA setup page” as in_progress
- Issues move from writing → development → review
- Commentary captures design decisions and blockers
- QA engineer prepares test cases
Visibility: Real-time progress shows:
- Which issues are in development vs. done
- Overall capability completion percentage
- Blockers (e.g., “Waiting on SMS provider API keys”)
- Capacity vs. workload
Week 5: Testing
Action: QA starts verification
- Test issues move to in_progress
- Bugs found become new issues linked to the capability
- Regression tests run on staging
- Documentation updated
Visibility: Testing dashboard shows:
- Test coverage for 2FA capability
- Pass/fail status
- Remaining test cases
- Bug fix progress
Week 6: Release
Action: Deploy Release 2.1
- All 2FA issues marked complete
- Capability marked ready for release
- Release 2.1 deployed to production
- Monitoring confirms successful rollout
Visibility: Release view confirms:
- All planned capabilities shipped
- All tests passed
- Documentation complete
- Deployment successful
Why This Hierarchy Works
1. Mirrors Reality
Work doesn’t happen in “user stories” or “epics.” It happens in tasks (issues), grouped into features (capabilities), shipped in versions (releases).
2. No Translation Required
A developer doesn’t need to decode what an “epic” means. They see a capability called “Two-Factor Authentication” and immediately understand what’s being built.
3. Multi-Level Visibility
- Individual contributors see their assigned issues
- Team leads see capability progress
- Product managers see release readiness
- Executives see delivery timeline
Everyone gets the view they need without custom dashboards.
4. Flexible Granularity
Not everything needs to be a capability. Small features can be standalone issues assigned directly to releases. Large initiatives can have 50+ issues grouped in a capability. The structure adapts to your work.
5. Testing is First-Class
Test issues live alongside development issues. QA engineers see what needs testing in real-time, not after development is “done.”
Comparison: Sinra vs. Traditional Tools
| Concept | Traditional Tools | Sinra |
|---|---|---|
| Work item | User story, task, bug (different types) | Issue (unified) |
| Grouping | Epic, theme, initiative (vague) | Capability (concrete feature) |
| Version | Increment, sprint goal, milestone (ambiguous) | Release (numbered version) |
| Testing | Separate test cases or custom fields | Test issues (same as dev issues) |
| Visibility | Custom dashboards, velocity charts | Real-time progress on capabilities & releases |
Real-World Example: E-Commerce Team
PayFast (8-person team building payment platform)
Before Sinra (Using Jira)
Problem: Tracking a feature meant:
- Creating an epic
- Writing 20 user stories
- Linking sub-tasks
- Tagging for release
- Building custom dashboard to see progress
Result: 3+ hours per week maintaining structure
After Sinra
Solution: Tracking the same feature:
- Create 1 capability: “Subscription Billing”
- Create 18 issues (dev, design, QA)
- Assign to Release 3.2
- View progress in real-time
Result: 15 minutes to set up, zero maintenance
Team feedback:
“We stopped spending time managing Jira and started shipping features. The hierarchy just makes sense.”
- Lead Developer, PayFast
How to Structure Your First Feature in Sinra
Step 1: Define the Capability
Ask: “What feature or initiative are we building?”
- Example: “API Rate Limiting”
- Write a brief description and acceptance criteria
- Assign to a target release
Step 2: Break Down into Issues
Ask: “What individual tasks are needed?”
- Backend issues (implement rate limit middleware, add Redis caching)
- Frontend issues (show rate limit status in dashboard)
- Testing issues (test rate limit enforcement, test reset logic)
Step 3: Assign Owners and Labels
- Assign issues to team members
- Add labels (backend, frontend, security, etc.)
- Set dependencies if needed
Step 4: Track Progress
- Issues move through statuses as work progresses
- Capability completion updates automatically
- Release readiness becomes visible in real-time
Step 5: Ship the Release
- When all capability issues are done, mark capability complete
- Deploy the release
- Review what shipped and plan the next one
Common Questions
Q: Do I always need capabilities? No. Small bug fixes or standalone tasks can be issues directly assigned to a release. Capabilities are for grouping related work.
Q: Can an issue belong to multiple capabilities? No. Each issue belongs to one capability (or none). If work spans multiple features, consider if it’s actually one capability with broader scope.
Q: How do I handle dependencies between issues? Sinra tracks dependencies between issues and capabilities. Mark dependencies, and the system highlights blockers in your workflow.
Q: What if priorities change mid-release? Move issues between capabilities or releases as needed. Sinra doesn’t force rigid sprint commitments - adapt when reality changes.
Q: How do I see what my team is working on right now? Filter by current cycle + team + in_progress status. You’ll see exactly what’s active.
The Sinra Advantage: Clarity by Design
Most tools inherit Agile jargon and force teams to adapt their thinking.
Sinra does the opposite: the structure mirrors how work actually happens.
- Issues = individual work items
- Capabilities = grouped features
- Releases = product versions
No metaphors. No translation. No cognitive overhead.
When your tool speaks the same language as your team, work flows faster.
Action Items: Structuring Your Work in Sinra
- Identify your next feature. What are you building?
- Create a capability. Name it concretely (not “Epic: User Mgmt” but “User Role Permissions”)
- Break it into issues. Development, design, testing - everything a person does
- Assign to a release. What version will this ship in?
- Start building. Track progress in real-time, adjust as needed
The Bottom Line
Traditional tools make you think in abstractions. Sinra makes you think in concrete terms.
Issues → Capabilities → Releases.
That’s it. That’s the hierarchy.
Simple, clear, and aligned with how teams actually build software.
Ready to structure your work clearly? Start a free trial of Sinra →
Experience project management built on concrete structure, not confusing jargon.