The Jira Software Dilemma: Common Criticisms and Solutions

1. Introduction
2. The Plugin Predicament
3. The JQL Jigsaw Puzzle
4. Vanishing Backlog Items
5. Jira is Slow
6. The Myth of Jira as an Agile Teacher
7. Jira Being Expensive
8. Conclusion

Introduction

Jira Software, while it is undoubtedly a powerful platform, it’s not immune to criticism. In this blog post, we’ll address some of the common grievances people have about Jira and discuss potential solutions.

The Plugin Predicament

One of the most significant criticisms leveled at Jira is the need for numerous plugins to make it truly effective. Some argue that to harness the full potential of Jira, you need to invest in an array of plugins. This can be expensive and sometimes feels like paying for essential functionalities that should be included in the core product.

Solution: Explore the Core Features

While there is a partial agreement regarding the use of plugins, it’s crucial to address how clients sometimes approach this issue during Jira implementations. Often, clients might assert, “This is mandatory, so we must purchase the plugin,” or they send us a list of mandatory requirements that we need to fill the Excel sheet with a bunch of plugins without much explanation and without them to fully understand the broader spectrum of capabilities that Jira offers without the need for additional plugins.

While some plugins may indeed be beneficial for specific use cases, it’s essential to evaluate whether they are genuinely mandatory or if Jira’s core features can fulfill the requirements effectively.

Many years ago, during a pre-sales presentation, I prepared a comprehensive roadmap for a client, detailing the wide range of features and capabilities the tool could offer (without plugins). After the presentation, the client’s response was both humorous and enlightening. They asked, “Does it make coffee too?”

This question perfectly encapsulates the idea that when we encounter a new tool or technology, we often approach it with preconceived notions based on our prior experiences. We tend to evaluate the new tool through the lens of how we currently do things and what we’re familiar with.

However, this mindset can limit our ability to fully appreciate the inherent benefits and capabilities of the new tool. In the case of Jira, it’s essential to recognize that the platform comes equipped with a robust set of standard features and functionalities. These built-in capabilities can often address a wide range of project management needs without the need for extensive customization or the addition of plugins.

So, when transitioning to a tool like Jira or any other new technology, it’s essential to approach it with an open mind. Embrace the standard features and functionalities it offers, explore how they align with your existing processes, and be open to the possibility of adapting your workflows to maximize the tool’s benefits.

The JQL Jigsaw Puzzle

Jira Query Language (JQL) often appears complex and daunting to many users, making effective query writing a challenge.

Solution: Comprehensive Training

To address this issue, organizations should invest in comprehensive training programs for all users, with special emphasis on Project Managers (PMs), Product Owners (POs), and Scrum Masters (PSMs). Ensuring that key roles understand and can effectively utilize JQL is crucial to maximizing the tool’s potential.

Many companies implement Jira and hire consulting services for its implementation, but they often forget that like any other tool, there is a learning curve. Investing in user training is beneficial, and the company will undoubtedly reap the benefits if this know-how is disseminated throughout the organization. Therefore, don’t expect users to have the time to learn on their own.

Vanishing Backlog Items

Another common concern is the loss of backlog items or difficulty in keeping track of relevant work.

Solution: Standardization and Communication

To address this, organizations must establish clear guidelines and standards for how Jira is used within their projects. Additionally, effective communication and documentation are crucial. When everyone understands the processes and the structure of Jira, the chances of items going missing decrease significantly.

I have also often seen one of the following situations:

• In some implementations, clients may insist on excessive customization without realizing that many of their needs can be addressed through process improvements. Jira’s flexibility is valuable, but excessive customization can create complexity and hinder productivity. Remember: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.

• Often companies start using it haphazardly, giving complete autonomy to dozens of administrators to create projects within the tool. This is one of the most common mistakes I have seen, in the end, what happens is that the company either switches to a different tool because they found Jira to be bad or hires a consultancy to get things in order.

Jira is Slow

Another common criticism often leveled at Jira is its perceived slowness. Users may experience delays in loading pages or executing actions within the tool, which can lead to frustration. However, it’s essential to understand that this issue often stems from how Jira is configured and hosted.

Solution: Performance Optimization

To tackle the issue of speed, organizations should conduct a thorough review of their Jira instance. Here are some steps to consider:

1. Script and Trigger Evaluation: Take a close look at the number of plugins and custom scripts in use. Many plugins and scripts can trigger actions each time you perform an action within Jira. These triggers can consume additional processing power and memory, contributing to slower performance. Consider auditing and optimizing your plugins and scripts to reduce unnecessary triggers.
2. Server Sizing: Ensuring that the servers hosting Jira are appropriately sized is crucial. Inadequate server resources can result in sluggish performance. Evaluate the current server configuration and consider upgrading if necessary.
3. Externalization of Scripts: Some scripts, especially those running heavy calculations, can be moved to external environments like AWS Lambda or other cloud-based services. This offloads the processing load from Jira’s servers, leading to improved performance.
4. Migration to Cloud: Consider migrating to a cloud-based Jira solution, such as Atlassian’s cloud offerings. The cloud infrastructure is designed to handle scalability and performance issues, alleviating the need for organizations to manage their own servers. It’s worth noting that Atlassian has made substantial investments in its cloud services, making them a robust and future-proof option.
5. Instance Cleanup: If your Jira instance has accumulated a large number of custom fields or unnecessary configurations over time, it can significantly impact performance. Consider conducting a thorough cleanup to remove unused or redundant elements, particularly custom fields that can slow down searches and queries.
6. External Application Connections: Another factor that can significantly affect the performance of a Jira environment is the integration with external applications, particularly reporting tools. Some reporting tools may attempt to make thousands of API calls, overwhelming the system and causing performance issues.

The Myth of Jira as an Agile Teacher

One prevalent misconception is expecting Jira to single-handedly make a team agile. Some believe that the tool should impart agile knowledge and transform their workflows magically. However, this is a fallacy.

Solution: Understand the purpose of the tool

Jira, like any other tool, is an enabler. It can facilitate agile processes and project management, but it cannot instill an agile mindset or teach effective work practices. To truly embrace agility, teams must invest in agile training, establish agile processes, and cultivate a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

Jira is a powerful tool, but it’s not a silver bullet for becoming agile or improving one’s work processes. It’s essential to understand that Jira, like any other tool, is a facilitator rather than a teacher.

Jira Being Expensive

One of the prevailing myths about Jira is that it’s an expensive tool, often leading users to question whether it’s worth the investment. To address this concern, I conducted an analysis of pricing across some of the most well-known project management tools in the market.

It’s essential to recognize that determining whether a tool is expensive or not can be a complex endeavor. The perception of cost varies significantly depending on factors such as the organization’s size, specific use cases, required features, and budget constraints.

Here’s a summarized table of pricing comparisons for your reference (prices are per user seat):

Note: Numbers collected on October 2023.

Tool	Free Plan	“Initial”	“Intermediate”	“Advanced”	“Enterprise”	# Customers
Asana	Up to 15 users	$10.99	$24.99	$30.49	Contact sales	139,000
Wrike	Unlimited	$9.80	$24.80	Contact sales	Contact sales	20,000
Smartsheet	No	Free	$7.00	$25.00	Contact sales	69,000
monday.com	Up to 2 users	$8.00	$10.00	$19.00	Contact sales	186,000
Aha! Develop	No	$9.00	$18.00		Contact sales	?
Zoho Sprints	Up to 3 users and 3 projects	$1.00	2,50	$5.00	–	100,000
Zoho Projects	Up to 2 projects	$0.00	$5.00	$10.00	–
Zoho Bug Tracker	Up to 2 projects	$0.00	$3.00	$7.00	–
ProductPlan	No	$39 (Basic) or	$79 (Professional)		Contact sales	?
Jira	Up to 10 users	Free	~$7.75	~$15.25	Contact sales	260,000
Average		$5.54	$12.57	$15.96

As the table illustrates, pricing may indeed vary depending on factors such as the number of users, deployment options, features, support levels, security and compliance, and storage limitations. It’s essential to consider the value proposition and whether the functionalities align with your organization’s needs.

Conclusion

While Jira Software may face criticism, it remains a powerful project management tool that can be a valuable asset when used effectively. The key to addressing common complaints lies in understanding and optimizing the core features, investing in user training, standardizing processes, and proactively managing performance. By embracing Jira with an open mind and a strategic approach, organizations can harness its capabilities to improve project management and collaboration, ultimately realizing its true value.