Big-Bang-GitLab-Epic-and-Issue-Creation-Guide.md

+## Creating Epics and Issues
+
+In order to effectively track tasks, issues, and progress, the Big Bang Product Team is using GitLab's Agile Management tools. 
+
+The method by which tasks are decomposed is as follows:
+
+[![](https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVERcbiAgICBBW0FuY2VzdG9yIEVwaWNdIC0tPnxEZWNvbXBvc2UgdGFza3N8IEJ7U3ViIEVwaWN9IFxuICAgIEItLT4gfElzc3VlIDF8IERbQnVnIGZpeF1cbiAgICBCIC0tPnxJc3N1ZSAyfCBFW0ZlYXR1cmVdXG4gICAgQiAtLT58SXNzdWUgM3wgRltDaG9yZV0iLCJtZXJtYWlkIjp7InRoZW1lIjoiZGVmYXVsdCJ9LCJ1cGRhdGVFZGl0b3IiOmZhbHNlfQ)](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#/edit/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVERcbiAgICBBW0FuY2VzdG9yIEVwaWNdIC0tPnxEZWNvbXBvc2UgdGFza3N8IEJ7U3ViIEVwaWN9IFxuICAgIEItLT4gfElzc3VlIDF8IERbQnVnIGZpeF1cbiAgICBCIC0tPnxJc3N1ZSAyfCBFW0ZlYXR1cmVdXG4gICAgQiAtLT58SXNzdWUgM3wgRltDaG9yZV0iLCJtZXJtYWlkIjp7InRoZW1lIjoiZGVmYXVsdCJ9LCJ1cGRhdGVFZGl0b3IiOmZhbHNlfQ)
+
+Endstate BigBang Product Goals are assigned as "Ancestor Epics" (e.g BB-Add-Ons, BB Air Gap, etc). These Epics can then be decomposed into their respective features, denoted as "Sub-Epics". These Sub-Epics may have a broad range of tasks that are required in order to accomplish them, and are further broken down into "Issues", which can be anything from more features or bug-fixes, to documentation requests.
+
+To begin creating an Epic within the Big Bang Group, start [here](https://repo1.dso.mil/groups/platform-one/big-bang/-/epics), and click the "New Epic" button.
+
+
+![new_epic_button](uploads/f39885df89ab6f4a42702ea4d0635b13/new_epic_button.PNG "New Epic button image")
+
+Once you have created an Epic, you can assign Sub-Epics or Issues using the "add" button.
+
+![new_subepic_and_issues](uploads/fae573932391bc375e1d5eb2dd9e029a/new_subepic_and_issues.PNG "New Sub-Epics and Issues button")
+ 
+## Labelling Epics and Issues
+
+It is important to label the epics and issues as they are developed so that other developers can see what work is grouped together, as well as what the status of an epic or issue is currently. If a developer uses the "boards" feature, then using labels to denote status and group of work is crucial to make tasks visible to the whole team. 
+
+When adding labels, 3 things should be annotated at minimum:
+- The Ancestor Epic (eg. BB Addons)
+- The Package to which the Epic/Issue is related (eg. MinIO)
+- The current status of said Epic/Issue (eg. 'doing')
+
+Use the "edit" button on the right banner next to the "Labels" field to add, remove, or manage labels for an epic/issue.
+
+![labels](uploads/9ac4ffb82ac541e08567c1988b044184/labels.PNG "Editing Labels")