How to keep JIRA Agile?

[Lindqvist_ Dennis]

Hi,

I've seen a lot of impressive apps for JIRA and my main focus on app evaluation is on project overview, dependency overview, resource planning and customer reporting.
(A Gantt-view is preferable.)

The SCRUM board in JIRA is quite neat. But when it comes to planning for non full time resources, I find it very hard to sum up the total time planned for each person and project/epic. It doesn't fulfill my needs of portfolio management.

Using apps such as Structure will help me, *but* it introduces waterfall methodology using free depth WBS's :/

We can't have that when trying to be agile, can we ;)

So I need tips on what apps you feel, will improve the SCRUM masters work. But at the same time doesn't lure him/her down the dark hole of free depth task hierarchy...

[Dennis Lindqvist · Accepted solution]

Oh. my!

The free Gantt Suite by BrizoIT just rocks when it comes to hybrid-projecting!
And it's free :)

[Dennis Lindqvist]

So far, the products from Easy Agile is right up my alley when it comes to improving planning.
I only wish Easy Agile Roadmaps handled dependencies.
Easy Agile Programs do have a dependency feature, but I need it to be available at dailies as well.

Right now I'm looking for a workload reporting tool.
AIM Agile Planning comes pretty close to what I'm looking for (as it includes time for subtasks), but it doesn't do multiple Sprints.

Capacity Tracker do have an 'All sprints' report, but in that mode it drops per user data :/

[Elizabeth Cranston [Easy Agile]]

Hi Dennis, I’m Elizabeth one of the Product Managers at Easy Agile. Great to hear that we’ve been able to make agile planning easier for you!

I’m currently conducting user interviews for our Roadmaps product and it would be great to delve into your suggestions in more detail.

If you’d be interested in speaking with me please reach out via support@easyagile.com and we’ll find a time to meet virtually.

Best, Elizabeth

[Dave Rosenlund _Trundl_]

Hi, @Lindqvist_ Dennis. Perhaps is gratuitous for me to say so (I work for ALM Works, that company behind Structure for Jira), but we have tons of customers who successfully use Structure, and Structure.Gantt, to support their Agile processes (SCRUM, SoS, SAFe, etc.) -- without slipping off their Agile path. 

If you'd like to chat about your specific Agile use case(s) and what concerns you, talk to your local Atlassian Solution Partner(s) or drop us a note at structure@almworks.com.

Meanwhile, by all means, explore all the great tools that are available in the Atlassian Marketplace and choose the best ones for your specific needs.  Good luck!

-dave [ALM Works]

[Lindqvist_ Dennis]

Yes, I do find Structure suitable and I really do like it.
But it doesn't strictly encourage you to go Agile only.

[Dave Rosenlund _Trundl_]

That is fair... Some tools force -- some would say "limit" -- organizations to do things a certain way, while Structure provides a high degree of flexibility and does not impose a fixed way of doing things.

Of course, everyone has to choose the apps that fit their organization's specific goals. 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

I'll plug Adaptavist a bit, as well as ALM-Works on the back of this, sort of! 

We at Adaptavist recommend Structure for a lot of people when they're looking at scaling Agile or even just looking better reporting at the layers above project/Epic/Story, or working across projects.