Trello vs. Jira Service Management: Which one is right for you?

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Atlassian has a range of products, and with some overlapping features, it is not always clear which tool is the best fit.  While Trello and Jira Service Management (JSM) help teams stay organised, they serve different purposes.

Choosing the right tool

Understanding the strengths of each tool can make all the difference.
Trello is a great choice if you are looking for a simple, flexible way to manage tasks. However, for service desk solutions, JSM is the way to go.

When Trello is the best fit

Trello is a lightweight, visual tool that is easy to pick up and perfect for team collaboration. Trello is a solid option if you want something quick to set up without complex processes or customer-facing requests. Here's where it shines:

• Marketing Campaign Planning
  Marketing teams love Trello for managing content calendars, campaign launches, and social media planning. A typical board might have lists like 'Ideas', 'In Progress', 'Review', and 'Published', with tasks moving from one to the next.

• Product Feature Brainstorming
  Product teams use Trello to capture and organise ideas before locking in requirements in Jira Product Discovery or Jira. Cards for feature concepts can have attachments, labels, and comments, making it easy to explore possibilities before formalising them.

• Employee Onboarding
  Small HR teams use Trello to track onboarding tasks like paperwork, training, and introductions. New hires get a checklist to complete, so HR and managers can easily see what is done and what is left.

Trello receives bonus paw-oints for its adorable mascot, Taco. As a Samoyed owner, I have a soft spot for snow dogs! 🐾

When Jira Service Management is the best fit

JSM is designed for teams that handle internal or external support, where structured workflows, SLAs, a CMDB, and service request management matter. It is ideal for teams managing work at scale.

• Customer Support and IT Helpdesk
  IT and support teams use JSM to track and manage service requests, covering everything from password resets to technical issues. With automation, SLAs, and a built-in knowledge base via Confluence, teams can respond efficiently and even offer self-service options.

• Change Requests and Approvals
  For organisations that need a structured way to manage software updates or infrastructure changes, JSM provides approval workflows and risk tracking to keep everything in check.

• Major Incident Management
  When critical issues arise, JSM helps teams respond quickly. With integrated alerting via JSM Operations and post incident review capabilities, teams can coordinate their response, track root causes, and improve reliability.

• Enterprise Service Management for HR and Facilities
  JSM is not just for IT. HR teams use it to manage employee requests like benefits enquiries, payroll issues, and onboarding. Facilities teams use it for maintenance requests, space bookings, and safety compliance. Using JSM beyond IT streamlines processes and enhances the employee experience.

The Atlassian System of Work

A well-designed system starts with understanding what teams need to achieve. With clear goals in place, you can shape processes and choose tools that support their work.  Without this foundation, workflows can become misaligned, inefficient, or challenging to scale.

Atlassian helps organisations connect teams, processes, and data, providing a clearer view of how work flows across the business. Better visibility leads to smarter decisions and continuous improvement.

Atlassian's approach helps teams:

• Adapt frameworks to their needs

• Align work with business goals

• Plan and track progress effectively

• Share knowledge seamlessly across teams

By linking workflows and breaking down silos, teams can work more efficently and stay adaptable in a digital-first world.

Choosing the right tool for the job ensures teams are set up for success and get the most value from their Atlassian investment.

With that, I'll leave you with some parting advice: Before choosing a tool, define the problem you're solving, and then build a system that truly supports it.

C x