Understanding user mental models of Plan terminology

What’s this issue all about?

We received feedback in gitlab#290606 (closed) from our latest SUS that users find some terms we use in Plan to be confusing or in conflict with their understanding of those objects/features.

Who is the target user of the feature?

Parker Delaney

What questions are you trying to answer?

I believe the following Plan terms have been at times confusing to users:

• iterations
• iteration groupings (use of "cadence", "set" or something else to describe)
• sprints
• groups
• projects
• lists
• tasks
• issues
• milestones

Core questions

• What do these terms mean to the majority of our users within these persona groups?
• Why do they mean what they do to them? Is it because of a specific methodology or process they use internally? Training they've received previously? Just makes sense to them?
• What terms do they prefer (if anything) to the objects and features these represent in GitLab? Why?

What decisions will you make based on the research findings?

Discuss with the Foundations team and Plan ways to approach better clarity surrounding the GitLab meanings of these terms and ensure we're using them consistently.