A whiteboard with nested Aha! shapes
Use Aha! shapes to create record relationships on whiteboards
We recently introduced Aha! shapes to help you capture early-stage plans on a whiteboard. You can visually represent records (such as initiatives, epics, and features) as shapes, and then turn them into actual Aha! records — no data reentry required. Today, we are excited to take this a step further by enabling you to set up parent-child relationships between those shapes. This means you can go from concept to structured plan even more swiftly.
Imagine you are using a whiteboard to create an initial roadmap, plan a program increment, or map out a new area of functionality. Start by adding Aha! shapes to your whiteboard (available in the Shapes menu) to identify what needs to get done, moving items around as you think through the details. Then, set up parent-child relationships between work items to tie everything together correctly. There are two ways you can do this:
Expand a parent shape and nest child shapes within it (e.g., break down epics into features)
Draw connectors between shapes (e.g., map initiatives to epics or features)
Now for the most exciting part of this update. When you convert Aha! shapes into Aha! records, this also creates nested hierarchies at the same time. To convert connector lines into hierarchies, make sure you select the checkbox in the right-side panel. Just like that, your early concepts become actionable plans.
Yep, you read that right. No more having to manually update each record to connect everything. Try out this new whiteboarding functionality in Aha! Roadmaps, Aha! Ideas, and Aha! Develop to go seamlessly from conceptualizing plans to implementing them.
Here is a closer look:
Map out the work
Let's plan out the major areas of functionality we want to deliver in the first half of 2025. In the example below, we captured the epics needed to achieve our strategic initiatives for Fredwin Cycling (a fictitious fitness application) on a roadmap timeline. Then, we worked with the team to identify related features. This will help us finesse our plan's details as we think through how the work contributes to the overall product strategy.
Use connectors or drag and drop shapes to create visual hierarchies that convert directly into Aha! records.
Commit to the plan
We are ready to move forward, so let's convert the whiteboard shapes and their hierarchies into detailed Aha! Roadmaps records. Below, we select a Fredwin Cycling epic and its related features to batch convert them into records. The hierarchy across the initiative, epic, and features is preserved — ensuring the connections remain intact. Now, we can see all our records (and their relationships) from the whiteboarding we did in Aha! Roadmaps. And we can move forward with a clear, actionable plan.
Once you convert shapes into records, open the drawer to view or edit their details.
Connect your early-stage whiteboarding to structured plans and transform the team's ideas into meaningful progress.
Early planning is crucial for building realistic delivery plans that account for complex hierarchies. With tools designed to simplify planning, you can focus on creating impactful outcomes and delivering value at every stage. (We hope today’s update helps you do just that!)
Start a free trial
The ability to create Aha! shapes and establish parent-child relationships between them is now available to Aha! customers. Our suite of tools includes Aha! Roadmaps, Aha! Ideas, Aha! Whiteboards, Aha! Knowledge, and Aha! Develop. Use each product individually or combined to help teams deliver even greater value. Sign up for a free 30-day trial or join a live demo to see why more than 1 million product builders trust our software to build lovable products and be happy doing it.
