Currently exploring Jira Agile tools (Scrum, Kanban) for the IT projects, any tips/tricks/lessons learned you can share?
Thank you! Saving Changes...
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Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
May I ask why? What does Jira offer that you feel will provide a viable solution for your particular needs?
Knowing this will help me respond accordingly. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
The question Andrew asks is the one you should be asking yourself i.e. whenever considering implementing a platform you need to define what you want to get out of it since this is the only way you will know if the implementation is successful. We have a tendency to just assume that if the technical implementation was successful then we have achieved what we wanted but that is where it begins. So my top tip would be to define your success criteria first and then explore. Saving Changes...
Yuriy SimonoffSenior Project Manager| N/ABuffalo Grove, Il, United States
Tool is just a tool. JIRA is an expensive one too.
Questions are: are you doing agile practices? Do you have backlog of user stories? Are you going thru the motions of planning and retrospective meetings, daily standups?
Or are you running kanban and team is pulling from the list of prioritized tasks to work on on regular basis?
I'm asking because tool in itself is not going to help with anything. But if you have your processes and need something to automate task tracking, then you should look at what is available on the market.
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1 reply by Scott Theus
Jan 13, 2020 2:08 PM
Scott Theus
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I cannot stress the importance of this more. I've had more success with an Agile transformation using physical boards and paper story cards than I have had with Jira, and I am an Atlassian Community Leader.
Before implementing Jira (or any other tool) you will need to have a good handle on your workflow(s), the products and projects you will be tracking, the data points you will be measuring, and the receptiveness of the product teams to 1) implementing an Agile mindset 2) using a Scrum or Kanban framework, and 3) learning a new tool.
Once you know all of that and are ready to start with Jira you should take some time to review tutorials on YouTube that show how to set up the issue types, screens, fields, workflows, etc. I find that Jira is an extremely powerful tool when it is set up correctly, It's main strength is that it is easy to customize to fit the needs of any team; its main weakness is that it is so easy to customize to fit the needs of any team.
OP, I don't want to scare you away from a great tool for team management, just make sure you know what you are getting into first.
Saving Changes...
Scott TheusSenior Project Manager and Agilist| BWX TechnologiesEuclid, Oh, United States
Jan 09, 2020 1:51 PM
Replying to Yuriy Simonoff
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Tool is just a tool. JIRA is an expensive one too.
Questions are: are you doing agile practices? Do you have backlog of user stories? Are you going thru the motions of planning and retrospective meetings, daily standups?
Or are you running kanban and team is pulling from the list of prioritized tasks to work on on regular basis?
I'm asking because tool in itself is not going to help with anything. But if you have your processes and need something to automate task tracking, then you should look at what is available on the market.
I cannot stress the importance of this more. I've had more success with an Agile transformation using physical boards and paper story cards than I have had with Jira, and I am an Atlassian Community Leader.
Before implementing Jira (or any other tool) you will need to have a good handle on your workflow(s), the products and projects you will be tracking, the data points you will be measuring, and the receptiveness of the product teams to 1) implementing an Agile mindset 2) using a Scrum or Kanban framework, and 3) learning a new tool.
Once you know all of that and are ready to start with Jira you should take some time to review tutorials on YouTube that show how to set up the issue types, screens, fields, workflows, etc. I find that Jira is an extremely powerful tool when it is set up correctly, It's main strength is that it is easy to customize to fit the needs of any team; its main weakness is that it is so easy to customize to fit the needs of any team.
OP, I don't want to scare you away from a great tool for team management, just make sure you know what you are getting into first. Saving Changes...
Joshua CedorPrincipal ConsultantSacramento, Ca, United States
Think about the problem you are trying to solve. If simply looking to digitize Kanban, there are plenty of free tools (Trello is my personal favorite), or tools you may already own (MS office suite has some very nice, relatively new options). If you are locked into Jira, its a heavy lift upfront so make sure workflows, inputs and outputs are very well documented and agreed on by your stakeholders and project members. If you're not locked into Jira, there may be better tools out there, depending on your requirements. But the tool should be the last concern - it's only an enabler, not a solution in itself. As with all projects, have a very clear charter and scope. Identifying and engaging your champions is key. As much as people may want the latest and greatest software tools, employees are remarkably resistant to change when it comes to tools at work, so act accordingly early on. I echo all of the prior comments as well. Perhaps post more info on the overall scope and goal? Saving Changes...
