Teams usually select Jira as an answer for problem monitoring, however the software program may also function a normal mission administration platform that can assist you plan, monitor, and handle your agile software program growth initiatives, with out having to do a variety of further work or set up extra software program.
In truth, Jira features a predefined template that gives a easy workflow that can assist you coordinate assets and monitor duties related to a mission. We’ll use this template as a part of a step-by-step information on learn how to get began with Jira for mission administration.
What is Jira?
Jira is a software program initially designed for builders and engineers, however has developed right into a full-service mission administration platform that may assist any staff or division coordinate duties. Jira additionally connects seamlessly with different Atlassian merchandise like Trello and Confluence, and it additionally connects to many third-party instruments.
A clarifying word earlier than we dive in: this how-to information will deal with learn how to use Jira for mission administration, not Jira Service Management (previously Jira Service Desk). Jira Service Management affords extra instruments for help groups, comparable to a customer-facing portal that permits them to submit help requests. While the software program names are comparable and there may be some overlap in performance, they’re two separate merchandise that aren’t interchangeable.
Who is Jira for?
With its deal with problem monitoring, Jira was initially created as a software for software program growth groups, and it actually shines on this space when in comparison with different general-purpose mission administration software program. However, Jira can be utilized by groups of all kinds, and affords templates for advertising and marketing, design, gross sales, operations, HR, authorized, finance, and extra.
SEE: A Complete Guide to Software Development Project Management
How to Use Jira for Project Management
Step 1: Choose a Jira Project Management Template
While you’ll be able to create a mission in Jira from scratch, you may save your self a variety of work by selecting and customizing considered one of their pre-existing templates. First, go to Jira Template Library and browse templates designed on your staff (we’ll use the project management model for the needs of this information).
- Once you discover a template you want, press the massive blue “Use Template” button on the appropriate facet of the display.
- A pop-up will ask you to pick out an present Jira website or create a brand new one.
- Make your choice, then press the blue “Create Page” button.
- Jira will open in a brand new tab and ask you to call your mission.
- Type it, then click on the blue “Create Project” button.
Step 2: Invite your teammates to Jira
Assuming this is not a person mission, you may want to ask your teammates to begin monitoring the mission in Jira. Even in case your teammates haven’t got Atlassian accounts but, you’ll be able to nonetheless add them on to your mission by clicking the spherical grey “Add individuals” button (which seems to be like a plus signal subsequent to an individual icon).
Enter their emails or add them straight out of your linked Google, Microsoft, or Slack accounts. Then choose whether or not every particular person will probably be an Admin, Member, or Viewer; the position you assign them will decide their permissions and entry. Once you could have the roles set to your liking, hit the blue “Add” button.
Step 3: Set up your Jira mission
Now that you simply’ve arrange your mission template and invited all of your teammates, it’s time to truly arrange mission administration in Jira. At the highest of the mission window, you’ll see a horizontal bar that lists a number of mission view choices: Summary, Board, List, Calendar, Timeline, and so forth.
To rapidly add duties, choose the List view and press the “Create” button. Once all of the duties are entered, scroll right down to assign every process to a staff member and set a due date. If the duty is just not at present being labored on, you’ll be able to depart the Team Assignment and Due Date fields clean to point that it’s a part of the backlog.
If you need to additional customise your mission, replace every process’s standing, assign a class, set a precedence, and add a label. These extra {qualifications} make it simple to filter duties to see solely particular ones, which will probably be extraordinarily useful sooner or later as you add extra. You may also create subtasks beneath a dad or mum process, which retains advanced initiatives organized.
Step 4: Track your progress
As your staff progresses by means of the mission, be sure everybody updates and checks in on duties as they’re accomplished. If you’re new to mission administration with Jira, it might take a while and apply to get used to managing your workflows in a brand new system, so be affected person and test in along with your staff commonly.
Fortunately, Jira affords a number of options that permit groups to observe how they’re doing. The Summary tab for every mission serves as a dashboard that summarizes key metrics for every mission. Some of the widgets embody a pie chart that reveals duties in progress versus accomplished, a bar chart that breaks down duties by precedence, and a staff workload chart that reveals how a lot work has been assigned to every particular person.
Jira additionally affords a local time monitoring function, so you’ll be able to see how a lot time is being spent on every process. If you want extra capabilities than Jira’s native time monitoring function, you too can choose a third-party time monitoring software from the Atlassian market.
Step 5: Complete your mission in Jira
Once your staff has lastly checked off all of the duties and accomplished the mission, it’s time to shut it. There are two methods to do that in Jira: read-only and archive. If you continue to need individuals to have the ability to learn and replica the mission, set the permissions to read-only. If you need to retire the mission fully, use the archive function to take away it from energetic use.
Key Features and Benefits of Jira for Project Management
Template Library
Jira affords dozens of templates that make it simple to create a brand new mission and get began immediately. These templates are tailor-made to the wants of various groups and mission administration methodologies.
Some of the methodologies supported by Jira templates embody:
- Agile mission administration.
- Scrum Project Management.
- Kanban Project Management.
- Lean mission administration.
- Waterfall Project Management.
Group collaboration instruments
There are a number of methods to collaborate along with your staff in Jira. You can tag others in process feedback and react with emojis to point out that you have learn them. You may also combine Jira with standard work communication instruments, like Slack, so you’ll be able to proceed to make use of acquainted platforms whereas guaranteeing Jira stays updated.
Automation
All that point spent updating process statuses actually provides up. To scale back pointless repetitive work, Jira affords automations to maintain issues shifting with out customers lifting a finger. Some examples of automations embody automated work project, dad or mum and little one process syncing, and cloning points. Jira affords a lot of pre-built automation templates to select from, and you too can create your personal from scratch.
Reporting and evaluation
Team-managed initiatives in Jira have entry to 4 forms of stories: the burnup report, the cumulative flowchart, the rate report, and the spring burndown chart. Jira additionally embeds metrics into every mission so you’ll be able to monitor progress with out having to click on right into a separate reporting module. Additional metrics additionally seem in widgets on the Summary tab for every mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jira proper for mission administration?
Yes, Jira was designed as a mission administration answer for software program growth groups, however it may be utilized by many several types of groups. If you’re searching for a less complicated mission administration software program with a decrease studying curve, we additionally suggest testing Trello, one other Atlassian software program that makes a speciality of kanban boards for mission administration.
How to make use of Jira to trace mission progress?
Jira embeds metrics straight into mission views so you’ll be able to monitor mission progress as work is accomplished. Delivery frequency and cycle time insights provide help to optimize workflows as you go. Once you’ve accomplished some initiatives in Jira, it would additionally have the ability to mission insights and analytics from the backlog that can assist you enhance future initiatives. Jira additionally gives native time monitoring performance, or you’ll be able to allow third-party time monitoring.
Can Jira create Gantt charts?
Jira affords two barely completely different Gantt chart choices, referred to as Timeline and Roadmap. Timeline shows a Gantt chart for a single mission or staff. Roadmap shows Gantt charts for the complete group, permitting for longer-term strategic planning.
How can I take advantage of Jira as a mission supervisor?
When it involves utilizing Jira for mission managers, first create an Atlassian account and select a template to make use of in Jira. Then invite your teammates to your mission and arrange mission knowledge. Track your progress as you go, then archive the mission or make it read-only when all duties are full.
