Automation and Insights in Projects

1. Automation and Insights in Projects

Now, let's explore how automation and insights can streamline our workflow and project management.

2. Importance of Automation and Insights

In GitHub Projects, we have two key tools: GitHub Actions for automating workflows and simplifying processes, and Insights to track progress, spot bottlenecks, and make informed decisions quickly.

3. Automation Tools in GitHub Projects

We can eliminate manual steps via GitHub Actions but also via built-in automation that updates our project boards based on events, like moving tasks when issues are closed or pull requests are merged. GitHub Actions allows for more advanced automation, enabling us to create custom workflows for tasks like testing, deployment, and even tagging issues based on criteria.

4. Implementing Built-in Automations

In GitHub Projects, setting up automations is straightforward. Open your project, click the three-dotted menu in the top-right corner, and choose "Workflows". GitHub provides a list of default workflows, like automatically moving tasks to "Done" when an issue is closed. To customize a workflow, select it and click "Edit" in the top-right. Now, we can adjust the workflow's behavior. Click "Save and turn on workflow" to activate it and to keep your board updated without manual effort.

5. Advanced Automation with GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions let us automate tasks directly in our repository using YAML files. These workflows are triggered by events like code pushes. For data professionals, GitHub Actions can streamline routine tasks like setting up environments, scheduling data pipelines, or deploying machine learning models to production. Github Actions thereby enhance efficiency and automates repetitive tasks. While GitHub Actions are beyond the scope of this course, more details are available through the link on the slide.

6. Introduction to Project Insights

Next, Project Insights help visualize progress, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions with customizable charts. Real-time charts show task distribution, while historical charts - only available in Team and Enterprise versions - track trends over time.

7. Creating a Chart in Project Insights

To create a chart, click "Insights" in your project, then "New Chart". Next, click "Configure" and customize by setting the x-axis to assignees and group by status. For example, you'll quickly see Stan and Arne's tasks in progress, helping manage team workloads.

8. Let's practice!

Now, it's your turn to boost your GitHub Projects!

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