Blog

Atlassian has become synonymous with efficiency and productivity. Among their suite of offerings, Jira Software and Jira Work Management stand out as two prominent solutions. While both are designed to streamline work processes, they cater to different needs and functionalities. In this article, we'll explore the key distinctions between Jira Software and Jira Work Management, helping you make an informed choice for your team's productivity.

What Is Jira Work Management?

To embark on our journey of comparison, let's first understand what Jira Work Management brings to the table.

Jira Work Management is a relatively new addition to the Atlassian family, primarily targeted at non-technical teams. These teams include Human Resources, Accounting, Legal, Marketing, Finance, and other business units. While Jira Work Management may not be as familiar as its counterparts, it brings a unique set of features tailored to the needs of these departments.

How Jira Work Management Differs from Jira Software

Jira, as a platform, offers three distinct products in the Atlassian cloud:

• Jira Software (JSW): Designed with software developers in mind.

• Jira Service Management (JSM): Geared towards IT teams.

• Jira Work Management (JWM): Crafted for business teams.

The beauty of using Jira across your entire organization lies in the centralized task management it provides. It enables teams to work seamlessly together and share task status effortlessly across JWM, JSW, and JSM. However, to cater to the unique requirements of different teams, Jira Work Management introduces several noteworthy differences.

Customize Your Project

In Jira Work Management, you can configure your project in your preferred color, from a choice of 14 different colors. In contrast, Jira Software and Jira Service Management projects maintain a uniform white or dark appearance.

Use Ready-Made Templates

Jira Work Management simplifies project setup by offering pre-configured templates for workflows and issue types. This feature helps teams get started quickly without the need for extensive customization.

Built-in Views for Different Purposes

Jira Work Management introduces various views tailored to business teams' needs. These include:

• Summary Page: A one-page overview of project status.

• List View: A powerful spreadsheet-style view with in-line editing capabilities.

• Calendar View: A tool to manage tasks across time and schedules.

• Board View: A way to track work progress through custom workflows.

• Timeline View: For planning and managing dependencies between tasks.

Reports

Reports in Jira Software focus on lead and cycle time, while Jira Work Management's reports are centered around counting items to track status.

Which One Should You Choose?

The ultimate decision between Jira Work Management and Jira Software depends on various factors, including your team's familiarity with the Jira ecosystem, your project goals, and your specific processes.

If your team operates within a Jira cloud instance and is not comprised of developers or experienced scrum practitioners, Jira Work Management offers a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.

Summary

• Jira Work Management offers a simplified and user-friendly interface.

• It provides various views like List, Calendar, Board, and Timeline.

• Customization options and templates make project setup a breeze.

• External users can use forms to submit requests.

• It's compatible with Jira Align and Advanced Roadmaps.

On the other hand, if your team has prior experience with Jira and needs a more advanced tool for managing work, Jira Software might be the better choice.

In conclusion, Jira Software and Jira Work Management are two powerful tools, each with its strengths and unique features. The decision ultimately depends on your team's needs, prior experience with Jira, and project goals. Regardless of your choice, Atlassian's suite of products is designed to enhance productivity and collaboration within your organization.