Articles

Problem: Resource consumption due to repetitive classification work

As soon as the relevant emails are received by the responsible persons, they are usually processed and classified manually before they can be handled in ticket systems such as Jira from Atlassian. This process ties up valuable personnel resources that could be used more efficiently, for example for strategic work.

An understanding of the context is required to categorize the issues and fill the fields in the ticket system appropriately. Until now, there were no technical options for automating these workflows. Thanks to the further development of artificial intelligence (AI), these use cases can now be looked at in a new light.

Solution: Automation with Jira Automation in conjunction with LLMs

Large Language Models (LLMs) are a special type of AI that are trained to understand, process and generate human language. The ability to recognize patterns and relationships in a context that makes these models so exciting for the scenario described: With the integration of LLMs in Jira Automation, recurring tasks can not only be automated, but also made more intelligent.

One exciting use case is the processing of incoming security updates. Thanks to the power of LLMs, the context of these updates is automatically recognized and relevant custom fields in Jira are filled accordingly.

Imagine the IT security team regularly receives security-critical information about the systems used in the company. Until now, the workflow for processing these messages in Jira tickets has been as follows: The messages arrive in Jira via interfaces / the connection of an email inbox, the messages are then classified by a 1st-level team and the information is finally transferred manually to the corresponding fields within Jira.

By using an LLM in conjunction with Jira Automation, it is possible to automatically recognize which systems are affected and check whether they are available in the company. In addition, prioritizations can be made and important information such as the affected group can be derived from the context. Automated assignment to the relevant teams is also possible.

This solution significantly reduces manual effort and ensures that no relevant information is overlooked.

Why do Business Process Platforms matter?

• Increased efficiency: By automating routine tasks and reducing manual intervention, business process platforms can significantly increase the efficiency of your business processes. For example, this can lead to faster order processing and shorter production times.

• Cost reduction: Automated processes reduce errors and rework, resulting in significant cost savings. In addition, improved transparency enables better resource planning and utilization.

• Flexibility: Business Process Platforms are scalable and adaptable. They can be easily adapted to changing market conditions and business needs, giving your organization a high degree of flexibility.

How do you decide if a BPP makes sense for your organization?

Despite all the benefits, investing in a Business Process Platform is no small step. It can be difficult to realistically weigh up the pros and cons for your organization. Does it make sense for my organization to implement a BPM tool?

To answer this question, we have developed a process to guide you through the BPP decision making process:

1. Questionnaire: We will start by sending you a questionnaire. Based on your answers, we will take stock of which processes are implemented in your organization and how they are implemented.
   
2. Assessment: Based on step 1, we carry out an evaluation. This in turn leads to a rough concept for a joint workshop.
   
3. Preliminary Discussion: Before the actual workshop, we hold a preliminary discussion with you. This will ensure that the objectives, agenda and, of course, the participants of the workshop are precisely tailored to your needs.
   
4. Workshop: The workshop is the major milestone we work towards. As a result, you will receive a fully developed technical concept from us. This outlines the status of your business processes, where we see the greatest potential and, if you decide to implement a BPP, where we would start.
   The business concept provides you with concrete documentation to help you decide whether and who to implement a Business Process Platform in your company.
   
5. Implementation: If you decide to implement a Business Process Platform, we will implement it iteratively and in close, regular consultation. We will incrementally add functionality to provide your organization with an initial MVP that is ready for production in the shortest possible time.

Hardware/Firmware/Software

IoT devices usually consist of several parts, which are assigned to three categories: Hardware, software and firmware. 

Hardware refers to the physical component, the body of a device, so to speak. This can be touched, but can also be broken. 

Firmware, on the other hand, describes the ‘invisible’ part (to be imagined as the electrical impulses of the brain) — so the code that communicates directly with the hardware and orchestrates which part performs which task and when. 

Software describes the part of the code that no longer interacts directly with the hardware, but only with the firmware. Firmware is generally also referred to as embedded software. 

Cyber Security

The (embedded) software described above is usually extremely complex and consists of thousands of lines of code written by different developers. This makes it almost impossible to keep firmware or software completely free of security vulnerabilities. These can be exploited to access the data stored on a device or to render the device unusable by  hackers. 

According to a recent report by Cybersecurity Ventures, the consequential costs of cyber crime amounted to just under USD 8 trillion in 2023 and will rise to USD 9.5 trillion in 2024. The trend is rising, even for 2025.

FOTA

To stay in the context of cyber security: If a security gap is found, it must be closed as quickly as possible to prevent criminals from exploiting it (if this is not already the case).

In the best case scenario, the gap will be closed in a few hours. However, the latest, secure version of the firmware still needs to be installed on the end device. This is known as an update. If the device is not connected to another device, such as a computer, this is known as a wireless update or OTA update (over the air update).

FOTA update therefore means nothing other than Firmware Over The Air Update and describes the wireless update of the firmware.

As described, these can be updates to solve security issues, but also other firmware adjustments; for example, to add current functions or to optimize device performance and service life.

FOTA updates are essential for modern IoT and enterprise environments as they ensure security, efficiency and scalability in device management.

1. Make a clear decision: What information belongs in Confluence?

Confluence can do a lot – but not everything needs to be mapped in it. Think carefully about which information should be stored centrally in Confluence and which is better kept in specialized tools such as to-do lists. A clear demarcation not only saves time, but also ensures a clean structure and more clarity for team members.

2. Structure your content: Less is more

A clear and concise page structure is the be-all and end-all in Confluence. Avoid unnecessarily complex hierarchies – not too shallow, but not too deep. A structure with a maximum of three levels is ideal. It helps if your content is divided into meaningful areas, for example into specific departments, projects or topics. Each of these areas should have a clear task and objective. The pages should be logically structured and an additional overview page with a table of contents will help your team to keep track.

3. Use templates and create your own

Confluence already offers a variety of templates that help you to record content in a structured way. Browse through the various categories here or search for relevant keywords. Alternatively, you can also create your own templates that are tailored to the specific needs of your department or project. These templates save time and ensure that all important information is recorded in a similarly structured way.

4. Headings and tables of contents: Navigation made easy

Structure your pages with clear headings and insert corresponding tables of contents in overview pages. This allows your team members to quickly grasp what the section is about and find the information they need more quickly. A good headline design not only improves readability, but also supports the search function in Confluence so that relevant content can be found in a flash.

Conclusion: A well-structured Confluence is worth its weight

With the right decisions regarding the distribution of information, a clear page structure and the targeted use of templates and headings, Confluence becomes an invaluable tool in your company. It improves collaboration, saves time and helps your team to complete their tasks efficiently.

Stay tuned for tips & tricks for Atlassian Confluence – Part 2!