Do we need Jira software even if we don't develop software?

[ABoerio]

Hello, 

I'm part of a company developing industrial components, not software.

We've been enjoying the use of Trello Boards for some time, in conjunction with our local project management applications. With Trello we basically represent on boards the tasks we define and schedule with a local application (MS Project+other). Trello fo us is kind of a beautiful add on.

We'd like to move to an integrated environment based on Confluence+Jira, installed on our local server instead of having something on cloud (like Trello in this moment) and something on local.

Should we install Confluence and Jira software, even if we're not software developers, to have the chance of using customizable visual boards? Trello is just beautiful, and honestly we're thinking to abandone it simply because it's just cloud based, and my company's policy is becoming to not go on cloud anymore for apps.

With just Jira Core (local server - not cloud) we wouldn't have visual boards, right?

Thanks, Andrea 

[Brittany Wispell · Accepted solution]

Hi @ABoerio

You can have Kanban boards with Jira Core Cloud which is very similar to Trello except the boards are based off a workflow that you can configure. It provides with some specialty reports within the boards. I recommend getting a trial run and seeing what you like what you don't like between the two. I have added a couple of informational links below. 

• Kanban Tutorial 
• Jira Core Information
• What is Kanban?

If you are wanting to do a "scrum" process with story points that would be Jira Software. I have added a link below to Jira Software that has more details. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

• Jira Software

[Tarun Sapra · Accepted solution]

Hello @ABoerio

Even if yours team is not an Software dev team still you can benefit from the Jira Confluence setup. Both of these amazing tools offer loads of features useful even for non-software teams. 

Jira core cloud does offer boards which you can use

See here

https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiracorecloud/working-with-boards-800712866.html

Similar question here

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/What-is-the-difference-between-quot-Jira-Core-Boards-quot-and/qaq-p/707972

Jira core boards are scaled down version of the full fledged Jira Software Agile(Scrum) boards but still pretty useful.

Please note, Jira core server doesn't have boards yet, the boards feature is only part of Jira core cloud. 

So if you are going for on-premise installation of Jira core you *will not* get boards

Please see this open request

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRASERVER-45690

So in short,  if you are installing your on-premise Jira and Confluence then you need Jira software for using the visual boards

[Tarun Sapra]

Please note, Jira core server doesn't have boards yet, the boards feature is only part of Jira core cloud. 

So if you are going for on-premise installation of Jira core you *will not* get boards

Please see this open request

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRASERVER-45690

[Marc Dvorschak · Accepted solution]

Concerning the borads I'm afraid you're right for the moment: 

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRASERVER-45690

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Core-questions/Why-are-Kanban-boards-not-part-of-JIRA-Core-Kanban-boards-are/qaq-p/271881

Your first question depends on your requirements.

I'm using Trello for personal stuff and Jira Software and Confluence at work. All I can say is that Jira (being more powerful) is harder to administer than Trello. But I'm not an Trello expert so it's hard for me to compare these two. 

[ABoerio]

Thank you very much for your comments and suggestions.

I'll now wait for final confirmation by the board about the strategy (cloud or on premise), then I'll move in one direction or the other.r.

In case of go-to-cloud I'll try a setup with Confluence with Jira Core first, maybe upgrading to Jira Software if this is not enough (but I am already trying to introduce elements of agile for some sub phases of our projects). My personal doubts about the Cloud solution are exclusively based on the risk of lags when in intensive use, which I'm facing also using this forum, due to our connections and firewalls (I assume this is not a problem of Atlassian servers).

In case of stay on premise the solution seams clearly to be Conf+JSW

Thanks again, I'm about to search for more hints on this community.

Ciao!

Andrea