JSM for IT Help Desk and Project Management

[Rodney Mort]

Hi,

I am an IT Manager with 3 total IT staff (including myself).  I'm looking for new software for help desk and project management.  Hoping I can use the same vendor for both functions for better efficiency.  I'm testing JSM now for the help desk and I think it will work fine.  I'd like to get input on what is the best way to incorporate project management capabilities using Atlassian products?  Is it better to just create a request type in JSM for "Project" and then create requests with sub-tasks to manage each project?  Or is it better to use Jira Work Management?  If I use JWM, what are the options for combining requests from the two systems to visualize the overall IT staff workload?  Is it possible/advisable to move requests between the systems?

I'd love to hear about your experiences and how you've accomplished these goals in your own organizations.

[Marc Koppelaar - Devoteam]

Hi @Rodney Mort 

Welcome to the community.

I would suggest to use JWM. The 2 options intertwine within Cloud, the use the same back-end.

So you are able to use information from JSM issues in related JWM projects.

You can move request, but it's better to link JSW related work to JSM requests.

See also the following documentation: https://support.atlassian.com/jira-service-management-cloud/docs/how-can-service-project-and-software-teams-work-together/

This describes how team can work together in JSM and JSW/JWM

[Rodney Mort]

Thank you for the reply.  I see that you are suggesting to use JWM (instead of just a "Project" request type in JSM).  I have a few follow up questions:

• Would you suggest that I have just one JWM project for all "IT Projects" and then create a main "Task" entry for each of my IT Projects with sub-tasks to track individual items that need to be done?
• Or are you suggesting that I create a whole separate JWM project for each of my "IT Projects"?
• Can you elaborate on how to link JSM items to a JWM item?  I did not see that in the link provided.

[Marc Koppelaar - Devoteam]

Hi @Rodney Mort 

It all depends how your structure within the company is.

You could have 1 project for all work that's team related or can't de handled  by your service engineers in the agreed SLA, or it's a change that needs to be planned.

Issues can be linked via issue linking, I do suggest you to use Company Managed projects instead of Team managed projects.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/servicedeskcloud/configuring-issue-linking-1097176685.html 

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/what-are-team-managed-and-company-managed-projects/ 

[Rodney Mort]

I see, the linking feature is interesting.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of using linked JSM issues compared to creating sub tasks within each JWM issue?  In either case, what is the best way to view the overall workload across both systems?