Jira for Waterfall, and dynamic scheduling?

[Raymond Wohltman]

Has anyone successfully implemented managing Waterfall projects in Jira? Are you able to assign multiple resources to the same task, and do dynamic scheduling and capacity planning? Can a PM that's used to MS Project use a Gantt chart to plan and manage their work? I'm a MS Project consultant and user very, very new to Jira. 

Thanks, Ray Wohltman

[Dave Rosenlund _Trundl_ · Accepted solution]

Welcome, @Raymond Wohltman.  I am aware of many organizations that use some form of Waterfall project management for some or all of the work they do. It can be done.  

However, to get you started on the right foot, I'd suggest you think of Jira as a tool that was/is developed for agile software teams first and foremost. It's nothing like MS Project.

You'll be better off, IMHO, if you start your Jira journey with that in mind.

Because of its history and focus, Jira aims to help agile teams manager their (single) project.  For project portfolio management you'll need to extend Jira for that purpose.

Atlassian offers Jira Align for this purpose, and Jira Advanced Roadmaps might help as well.

In addition, the Atlassian Marketplace has a number of purpose-built PPM apps that excel in this area.

Hope this helps,

-dave

P.S. Full disclosure: I work for a company that makes one of those marketplace apps. It's called Structure.

[Raymond Wohltman]

Thanks! We're researching Structure as well. And some of the other add-ins. 

We have several PM's claiming to be using the tool in an Agile approach, but think they are just former Business Analysts who aren't deeply seeded in project and program management. 

I agree that Agile is a great approach for developmental work, but there are going to be traditional waterfall projects around for a long time to come. 

We're looking at Jira Align and Advanced Roadmaps as well, think we need to take baby steps, but we'll get there! Thanks for your response! 

Cheers, Ray 

[Dave Rosenlund _Trundl_]

You're welcome, @Raymond Wohltman!

"I agree that Agile is a great approach for developmental work, but there are going to be traditional waterfall projects around for a long time to come." 

I agree 💯％

[Renato Cardoso Botto]

@Dave Rosenlund _Trundl_ in regards of this hybrid period with waterfall+agile projects together (I am an EA working in a telco company that has +500 systems in Brazil with Jira SW and SM implemented), but yes, lot of waterfall projects and teams with MS Project! :)

But... can we trust Jira Align to explore the finantial; planning and the portolio management great characteristics? It will have to embrace at bottom of the pyramid, a bunch of waterfall projects.
We are dealing now with "sprints/scrum" ways of working even looking to waterfall projects.
I was thinking if we somehow scale Jira Align views, "wearing" those projects with agile top layer labels to provide to IT-Managers, an unique IT view of the whole portfolio of systems and projects.

[Dave Rosenlund _Trundl_]

Hi, @Renato Cardoso Botto. While I have been exposed to customers that use Jira Align in that way, I have no firsthand experience withJA. Let me see if I can nudge some folks I know to chime in. 

[Sivakumar Marimuthu]

Hello @Raymond Wohltman , Hope you are doing well. Have you managed to use the Jira Align or Advanced roadmap for your waterfall projects and how is your experience? I'm starting the journey at present and struggling to find an efficient way.