Though Jira has been adopted by countless project managers (PMs) globally due to its vast capabilities and synergy with Agile practices, it’s not all sunshine and roses. Many PMs find fault with the Atlassian product, citing issues involving its unintuitive user interface and inability to analyze large datasets.
But through this negativity, a number of untrue myths have also risen and continue to be passed around through reviews and conversations.
This is where our “Debunking Jira Myths” series steps in. Spread across five articles, each investigating a common myth, we work to debunk five of the most common Jira myths with the aim of helping PMs differentiate fact from fiction.
Part 1: Jira Is Unintuitive and Complicated
In Part 1 of our series, we take a look at the overarching myth that Jira causes more headaches than it relieves. Many PMs tend to regard Jira as an intimidating solution with a steep learning curve and, though this myth holds a tiny nugget of truth, it can all be easily overcome with the help of external apps.
In particular, we briefly go through Ricksoft’s solutions – WBS Gantt-Chart, Excel-like Bulk Issue Editor for Jira, and Excel-like Tables for Jira – and touch base on how exactly they can help PMs make sense of Jira.
Part 2: Its Reporting Capabilities Fall Short
Part 2 is all about project reporting. With reporting having the potential to make or break entire projects because of their ability to provide visibility over ongoing work, the myth that Jira performs poorly is a cause for concern.
We cover the exact limitations PMs cite when spreading this myth and then go over how PMs get around these issues. Then, we conclude by presenting the ideal solution: Excel-like Tables for Jira and how it can be utilized to generate reports that can be adapted to any project need.
Part 3: PMs Can’t Perform Data Analytics and Visualization Efficiently
Part 3 is where we confront the myth that Jira simply cannot perform elaborate data analytics and visualization. Both of these processes are regarded as overly simplistic in Jira, lacking the power of Excel, which forces PMs to venture beyond Jira’s doorstep for a solution.
This is problematic as it leads to several issues, such as increasing the risk of human error and diminishing any single source of truth. However, with the aid of Excel-like Tables for Jira, we demonstrate how extensive analysis and visualization can be done without ever needing to leave Jira’s interface.
Part 4: Bulk Issue Editing Is Tedious
In Part 4 we take a deep dive into one of the most time-consuming tasks a PM has to tackle – bulk editing. For many years, Jira did not offer any bulk editing capabilities. But even after Jira introduced a native bulk edit feature, many PMs lamented that it was tedious, requiring them to go through multiple screens.
To counteract this, we suggest Excel-like Bulk Issue Editor for Jira as the remedy. With its capacity to edit 10,000 issues simultaneously and the ability to utilize Excel-like functions such as freezing, sorting, and filtering columns, the editor removes any tediousness associated with bulk editing and backlog grooming.
Part 5: Project Progress Tracking Is Ineffective
The final myth we bust in Part 5 hones in on project timelines. Timelines are integral to the PM, providing visibility and transparency to improve project monitoring, control, and risk management. But Jira is limited due to its lack of advanced scheduling functionalities, Gantt Chart-like features, and befuddling roadmap.
With WBS Gantt-Chart able to provide visual planning on any project coupled with its drag-and-drop simplicity and a huge arsenal of useful features, we end by presenting the addon as the answer to this myth.
Find Out More
If you’re a PM who either uses Jira or is considering it, we highly recommend you go through our series to get a comprehensive overview of both Jira’s common issues and some of the top solutions available.
In the meantime, why not check out Ricksoft’s extensive list of resources to help you refine your project management skill set?
