# Ticket Workflow ## [PIPE](https://open-jira.nrao.edu/projects/PIPE): Feature / Bug / Epic Ticket Applies to the following PIPE issue types: **Feature**, **Bug**, **Epic**, and **Sub-task**. Engineering and Research Request tickets follow similar but simplified workflows — see below. ### States - **Open**: Initial state of a new ticket. - **Reviewed**: Accepted into the backlog "To-Do" list based on scientific or operational priority and available resources; not yet actively worked. Tickets targeting a specific release are labeled accordingly. - **Input Required**: Awaiting requirements or clarifying information from a stakeholder or developer. - **Implementing**: Actively being developed; a branch exists. Can transition to **Verifying**, directly to **Validating**, **Input Required**, or **Reviewed**. :::{note} - Open a [Draft/WIP Pull Request](https://confluence.atlassian.com/bitbucketserver/draft-pull-requests-1354498120.html) as early as the prototyping stage to allow team feedback on algorithm and implementation choices. Use a descriptive title such as `WIP: PIPE-1234: implementing bugfix for task`. - Maintain a clear PR description and informative inline comments to surface design questions, explain rationale, and aid both the developer and reviewer. ::: :::{tip} A draft PR or a temporary branch used to demonstrate code capability is a legitimate and encouraged collaboration tool — our distributed team relies on asynchronous discussion and co-development. Repository settings are in place to prevent accidental merges into `main` or direct commits to the remote `main` branch. ::: - **Verifying**: Assigned to other developer(s) for code review and cross-check changes before stakeholder validation. Do not advance to **Validating** until the development team is satisfied — a single code review approval is sufficient for narrow, well-scoped changes; broader changes should have wider review. A ticket may cycle through **Implementing**, **Verifying**, and **Validating** multiple times before merging. :::{note} - **Weblog storage**: Post PR testing results to the observatory's internal weblog storage so reviewers and stakeholders can assess impact without needing raw data or deep familiarity with the issue. Use `` as the subdirectory name; weblogs and log files are typically sufficient — avoid large data files. Organize results into labeled sub-directories (e.g. `PIPE-1234/main`, `PIPE-1234/pipe1234-v1-attempt1`, `PIPE-1234/pipe1234-v2-attempt2`). Directories may be removed after the code is released. - **Early merge exception**: If both the stakeholder and technical lead agree, a narrow, well-scoped change may be merged into `main` after verification and before formal validation. This still requires at least one developer approval, all PR tasks resolved, and all automated tests passing. The `Validating-MAIN` label must be applied and a merge comment posted with the commit tag (e.g., `2026.1.1.1`); the ticket then advances to **Validating**, where validation occurs on `main`. ::: - **Validating**: Assigned to a stakeholder to validate against the ticket branch, or against `main` if the `Validating-MAIN` label is set. On acceptance, moves to **Pending Release**; if issues are found, returns to **Implementing** and may cycle through **Verifying** and **Validating** again. :::{note} - **Independent validation**: For code changes directly contributed by a scientist, the validator must be someone other than the original contributor and should be selected from the stakeholder group to ensure independent validation. ::: - **Pending Release**: Implementation complete; branch ready to merge into `main` pending release. If unexpected issues arise after merging, the ticket can return to **Implementing**. - **Closed / Released**: Set in bulk via the Jira bulk change tool once a software version is officially released. ```mermaid flowchart TD START(( )) --> OPEN OPEN <--> INPUT_REQUIRED OPEN --> IMPLEMENTING OPEN --> CLOSED_RELEASED OPEN --> REVIEWED INPUT_REQUIRED <--> REVIEWED INPUT_REQUIRED --> IMPLEMENTING REVIEWED --> IMPLEMENTING REVIEWED --> CLOSED_RELEASED IMPLEMENTING --> VERIFYING IMPLEMENTING --> INPUT_REQUIRED IMPLEMENTING --> VALIDATING IMPLEMENTING --> REVIEWED VERIFYING --> VALIDATING VALIDATING --> IMPLEMENTING VALIDATING --> PENDING_RELEASE PENDING_RELEASE --> IMPLEMENTING PENDING_RELEASE --> CLOSED_RELEASED INPUT_REQUIRED(INPUT REQUIRED) PENDING_RELEASE(PENDING RELEASE) CLOSED_RELEASED(CLOSED / RELEASED) OPEN(OPEN) REVIEWED(REVIEWED) IMPLEMENTING(IMPLEMENTING) VERIFYING(VERIFYING) VALIDATING(VALIDATING) classDef navy fill:#1e3264,stroke:#1e3264,color:#fff classDef blue fill:#1a5fbf,stroke:#1a5fbf,color:#fff classDef green fill:#15803d,stroke:#15803d,color:#fff classDef gray fill:#9ca3af,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#9ca3af class OPEN,INPUT_REQUIRED,REVIEWED navy class IMPLEMENTING,VERIFYING,VALIDATING blue class PENDING_RELEASE,CLOSED_RELEASED green class START gray ``` ## [PIPE](https://open-jira.nrao.edu/projects/PIPE): Engineering Task Ticket Applies to the **Engineering Task** issue type. Covers internal infrastructure work — build system changes, CI/CD improvements, tooling, and dependency updates — with no direct scientific impact and no stakeholder validation. The **Validating** state is omitted. Minor non-production changes (documentation fixes, CI/CD updates) may be merged without formal review after contacting the technical lead for a repository permission override. ```mermaid flowchart TD START(( )) --> OPEN OPEN <--> INPUT_REQUIRED OPEN --> REVIEWED OPEN --> IMPLEMENTING OPEN --> CLOSED_RELEASED INPUT_REQUIRED <--> REVIEWED INPUT_REQUIRED --> IMPLEMENTING REVIEWED --> IMPLEMENTING REVIEWED --> CLOSED_RELEASED IMPLEMENTING <--> VERIFYING IMPLEMENTING --> INPUT_REQUIRED IMPLEMENTING --> REVIEWED VERIFYING --> PENDING_RELEASE PENDING_RELEASE --> IMPLEMENTING PENDING_RELEASE --> CLOSED_RELEASED INPUT_REQUIRED(INPUT REQUIRED) PENDING_RELEASE(PENDING RELEASE) CLOSED_RELEASED(CLOSED / RELEASED) OPEN(OPEN) REVIEWED(REVIEWED) IMPLEMENTING(IMPLEMENTING) VERIFYING(VERIFYING) classDef navy fill:#1e3264,stroke:#1e3264,color:#fff classDef blue fill:#1a5fbf,stroke:#1a5fbf,color:#fff classDef green fill:#15803d,stroke:#15803d,color:#fff classDef gray fill:#9ca3af,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#9ca3af class OPEN,INPUT_REQUIRED,REVIEWED navy class IMPLEMENTING,VERIFYING blue class PENDING_RELEASE,CLOSED_RELEASED green class START gray ``` --- ## [PIPE](https://open-jira.nrao.edu/projects/PIPE): Research Request Ticket Applies to the **Research Request** issue type. Tracks investigative or exploratory work — data analysis, feasibility studies, or algorithm evaluations. No **Verifying** state; **Implementing** and **Pending Release** are bidirectional to support iterative research cycles. ```mermaid flowchart TD START(( )) --> OPEN OPEN <--> INPUT_REQUIRED OPEN --> REVIEWED OPEN --> IMPLEMENTING OPEN --> CLOSED_RELEASED INPUT_REQUIRED <--> REVIEWED INPUT_REQUIRED <--> IMPLEMENTING REVIEWED <--> IMPLEMENTING REVIEWED --> CLOSED_RELEASED IMPLEMENTING <--> PENDING_RELEASE PENDING_RELEASE --> CLOSED_RELEASED INPUT_REQUIRED(INPUT REQUIRED) PENDING_RELEASE(PENDING RELEASE) CLOSED_RELEASED(CLOSED / RELEASED) OPEN(OPEN) REVIEWED(REVIEWED) IMPLEMENTING(IMPLEMENTING) classDef navy fill:#1e3264,stroke:#1e3264,color:#fff classDef blue fill:#1a5fbf,stroke:#1a5fbf,color:#fff classDef green fill:#15803d,stroke:#15803d,color:#fff classDef gray fill:#9ca3af,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#9ca3af class OPEN,INPUT_REQUIRED,REVIEWED navy class IMPLEMENTING blue class PENDING_RELEASE,CLOSED_RELEASED green class START gray ``` --- ## [PIPEREQ](https://open-jira.nrao.edu/projects/PIPEREQ): Epic / Improvement / Research Request Ticket Applies to the following PIPEREQ issue types: **Epic**, **Improvement**, and **Research Request**. These tickets follow a separate, less formalized workflow. ```mermaid flowchart TD START(( )) --> IN_REVIEW ALL1([All]) --> IN_REVIEW ALL2([All]) --> DONE IN_REVIEW --> SCHEDULED SCHEDULED --> READY_TO_VALIDATE READY_TO_VALIDATE --> DONE IN_REVIEW(IN REVIEW) SCHEDULED(SCHEDULED) READY_TO_VALIDATE(READY TO VALIDATE) DONE(DONE) classDef lightblue fill:#93c5fd,stroke:#93c5fd,color:#1e3264 classDef blue fill:#1a5fbf,stroke:#1a5fbf,color:#fff classDef mint fill:#a7f3d0,stroke:#a7f3d0,color:#065f46 classDef gray fill:#9ca3af,stroke:#9ca3af,color:#9ca3af classDef dark fill:#1f2937,stroke:#1f2937,color:#fff class IN_REVIEW,READY_TO_VALIDATE lightblue class SCHEDULED blue class DONE mint class START gray class ALL1,ALL2 dark ``` ### States - **In Review**: Research in progress, discussion ongoing; not yet ready for a PIPE ticket. - **Scheduled**: Requirements converged; PIPE ticket(s) created and linked. - **Ready to Validate**: Rarely used in practice. - **Done**: Linked PIPE ticket(s) closed.