Swimlane Histogram
| Where configured | No configuration required |
| Where visible | Board (detail view) |
| Settings apply to | Not required |
Purpose
Show how issues are distributed across board columns inside each swimlane as a compact bar chart next to the swimlane name.
How to configure
Where to find settings
No configuration required. The histogram appears automatically on supported board views (Scrum/Kanban) when swimlanes are enabled.
How to configure
There are no settings to configure for this feature.
How to use
- Next to each swimlane name you see a horizontal row of narrow bars — one bar per board column.
- Bar height reflects that column’s share of all issues in the swimlane: the taller the bar, the more issues in that column.
- Hovering (or focusing) a bar shows a tooltip with the column name and issue count.
- Bars use neutral greys: light placeholders for empty columns, darker bars for columns that contain issues.
- The chart updates automatically when the board changes.
Usage scenarios
- Quick distribution check — see at a glance which columns hold most of the work in each swimlane.
- Spot uneven flow — a swimlane where almost everything sits in one column hints at a bottleneck.
- Compare swimlanes — compare histogram shapes across swimlanes to judge load balance across teams or streams.
Troubleshooting
- Chart not visible: Use the detailed board view (Scrum/Kanban), not a simplified or alternate layout, and ensure swimlanes are enabled.
- Empty columns hard to see: Empty columns use very light grey placeholders — they may blend into the background with some Jira themes.