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Before committing to a new project management tool, you want to know exactly what to expect, from key features to usability and even how the application will be laid out. While Jira Software has been praised for its robust functionality, it may not be the best fit for all teams. If you’re interested in exploring Jira Software as a work management tool, read on to learn more about the pros and cons of Jira Software.
Jira Software Pros and Cons At a Glance
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Pros
This software is built for Agile and Scrum management.
Jira Software is a highly customizable project management solution that enables teams to build frameworks around whichever project management methodology they choose, whether it’s Scrum or Kanban. Multiple agile tools are included in Jira Software, from backlogs, roadmaps, reports, integrations, and more, so that teams have the flexibility to tackle projects in various ways.
Jira Software’s Scrum board capabilities. Source: Atlassian, accessed June 2023.
Planning and workflow benefit from excellent issue management.
Jira got its’ start as a tech support service, and its products still reflect that ideology today. Jira products pay homage to those roots by including some of the foundational structures of IT-esque problem-solving, such as support tickets, bug tracking, and more – hence the variations in terminology you see in Jira Software. Jira’s IT roots help users easily track bugs/issues in-app, making it easy to solve problems faster and more efficiently.
A bug tracking template for streamlined issue management in Jira Software. Source: Atlassian, accessed June 2023.
Near-instant ticket creation helps to clear roadblocks faster.
Jira’s problem-solving solutions extend past bug and issue tracking, it also allows users to instantly create tickets that detail the problem or roadblock and get solutions faster. This feature is especially useful for technical teams that are working collaboratively with non-technical teams to solve problems, for example, an IT help desk looking to submit tickets for resolution. By utilizing the ticketing functionality, all team members can stay in the loop throughout the resolution process.
An example of open tickets within Jira Software. Source: Atlassian, accessed June 2023.
Jira Software offers numerous integrations with outside applications.
Integrations make it easy to connect all of the applications you rely on daily in one place. Jira Software offers users over 3,000 app integrations available from day one, so you can spend less time switching between applications.
An example of a few integrations available from Jira Software. Source: Atlassian, accessed June 2023.
Read More: Top 10 Project Management Software
Cons
Software Can Be Complex to Use.
While a learning curve is always to be expected when adapting a new project management software, Jira Software can be especially challenging for new users to learn, as it includes numerous complex and advanced features.
Easy team collaboration tools are lacking.
For larger teams and teams working across multiple projects, in-app collaboration features can be a huge plus. While Jira Software allows visibility across projects and workflows, the direct collaboration features are extremely limited when compared to other software offerings that include built-in instant messaging and communication.
This SDLC management variant might not be the best fit for all teams.
By design, Jira Software is targeted at the software development life cycle, engineering, and other dev teams. While it’s the right tool for technical teams and works well in combination with teams who are using Jira Work Management for the business team side of work, Jira Software might not be the best fit for non-technical teams, or for teams who are used to project management software outside of the Atlassian ecosystem.
Overall, Jira Software presents a higher cost barrier to entry than most.
While all paid project management solution plans require an upfront investment, Jira Software is priced at a higher point than many other software offerings. Starting at $7.75 per user/month for the Standard plan, or $15.25 per user/month for the Premium plan, teams with a more limited budget might be alienated by Jira’s pricing.
Load times can be slow.
Unfortunately, Jira Software has a reputation for moving slowly at times with long query load times, especially for teams with large amounts of work data.
Try ClickUp Instead
If Jira Software isn’t quite the right solution to fit your team’s needs, consider ClickUp as a viable alternative. ClickUp is a project management platform with an emphasis on team collaboration and customizable work management functionality. With a more user-friendly interface than Jira Software with similar capabilities, ClickUp is a great choice for teams who are looking to get going quickly and manage a wide variety of projects.
Featured Partners: Project Management Software
Featured Partners: Project Management Software
1 Wrike
Tackle complex projects with Wrike’s award-winning project management software. Break projects into simple steps, assign tasks to team members, and visualize progress with Gantt charts, Kanban boards, and calendars. Manage resource allocation and forecasting with software that’s easy to launch. Automation and AI features strip away time-consuming admin tasks so you can do the best work of your life. Streamline your practices, align your team, and ensure you hit deadlines and stay on budget.
2 Jira
Simple and powerful way to track and manage issues. It handles all kinds of issues (bugs, features, enhancements, and tasks) and can be used for bug tracking, development help, project management, or group task cataloging.
3 Trello
Organize anything, together. Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, know what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process.
