How to use Atlassian’s Atlas to streamline decision-making and team collaboration

As a company grows, keeping teams aligned and communicating effectively becomes increasingly challenging without endless meetings, check-ins, or lengthy reports. But what if there were a simpler, faster way to understand what teams are working on, how they’re doing it, and what their goals are? That’s where Atlas comes in.

What is Atlas? 

Atlas is a teamwork directory that connects teams and their work, enabling them to “stay in sync, async.” This work management platform from Atlassian simplifies the often complex task of tracking progress across teams and projects. It’s designed to help organizations streamline collaboration, improve reporting, and foster clear communication. By centralizing key updates, providing visibility into goals and objectives, and keeping teams aligned, Atlas helps organizations to focus on their priorities.

While Atlas provides a wide range of features to improve visibility and communication, understanding how to leverage specific aspects of the platform is key to enhancing team collaboration and project management. Below are some areas where organizations can unlock its full potential:

Line up your teams with regular and concise updates 

One of Atlas’s core functions is simplifying the sharing of status updates while keeping teams aligned without overwhelming them with unnecessary details. This feature works best when updates are consistent and concise. Encouraging project owners to provide weekly status updates, while goal owners share monthly reports is key to maximizing results. These updates, capped at 280 characters, should focus on high-level progress, risks, or major blockers, ensuring they remain clear and relevant.

When used effectively, regular updates keep stakeholders informed and enable teams to adjust their strategies and priorities in real time. By building this habit, you can avoid the information overload often caused by lengthy reports, emails, and meetings.

Keep track of your project health with status indicators 

Another valuable feature of Atlas is its status indicators, which allow you to see if processes are “On Track,” “At Risk,” or “Off Track.” These indicators offer a quick visual snapshot of project progress, saving time for busy teams and stakeholders. However, the effectiveness of these indicators relies on how consistently and clearly they are defined within the organization.

Establishing clear definitions for each status is essential to avoid ambiguity. For example, what specifically qualifies a project as “At Risk”? Is it a missed milestone, a resource shortage, or something else? When properly utilized, these status indicators empower teams and stakeholders to quickly assess a project’s health, facilitating faster decision-making and timely interventions when needed.

Use Atlas’s Teams Directory for communication clarity

The Teams Directory is another powerful Atlas feature, providing visibility into team structures, roles, and responsibilities across the organization. This makes it easier to identify the right contacts for specific projects or goals, fostering better collaboration.

For many organizations, this feature is an underutilized goldmine of information. Neglecting it can lead to duplicated efforts or delayed communication, as team members may struggle to identify the right people to contact for support. A well-maintained and regularly consulted directory helps ensure that teams work efficiently and collaborate as effectively as possible.



Why integrate Atlas into your enterprise routine

Integrating Atlas’s features into daily workflows helps organizations streamline communication, enhance decision-making, and concentrate on their objectives. Whether through concise updates, clear status indicators, or a well-maintained Teams Directory, Atlas offers the structure and insights needed to drive projects forward with clarity and purpose. By fully leveraging its capabilities, teams can overcome complexity, boost efficiency, and deliver meaningful results.