Understanding Jira Project Types and Agile Approaches.

Key Differences and Best Practices

Intro

Jira is a powerful tool for project management, but its effectiveness depends on understanding its features. Many of us were not aware of the difference between Team-Managed and Company-Managed project types. Were you? This often leads to inefficiencies and/or limitations.

Similarly, confusion between Scrum and Kanban methodologies can impact delivery timelines and team goals. This article breaks down these distinctions to help you optimize your Jira workflows and choose the right “Agile” approach.

Team-Managed vs. Company-Managed Projects

Team-Managed Projects

Team-Managed projects are all about simplicity and giving teams control. They let you configure things like workflows, fields, and boards without needing an admin(to some extend). This is great for smaller teams who want autonomy and quick setups, but it comes with trade-offs. For instance, custom fields you create are limited to that project, so if you want consistency across multiple projects, you’re out of luck.

Another notable limitation is board customization. Features like swimlanes, which are incredibly useful for visually organizing tasks (e.g., pulling critical items to the top), aren’t available. Team-Managed projects are also less scalable, so if your organization grows or you need advanced reporting across teams, you might hit a wall, a big wall!

That said, these projects are perfect if you’re part of a small, independent team and don’t want the overhead of centralized control or “complex” setups.

Company-Managed Projects

Company-Managed projects are built for scale and consistency. Unlike Team-Managed projects, changes here require admin-level permissions, which means you get a more controlled and standardized environment. This makes them ideal for larger teams or organizations that want to ensure all projects follow the same rules.

One major advantage is the ability to create reusable custom fields. If you have several projects and want them to share the same labels, categories, or priorities, this is a game-changer. Board customization is another area where Company-Managed projects shine. You can add swimlanes and tailor your boards to fit your team’s workflow, helping you prioritize critical tasks or categorize items visually.

In short, if you’re in a mid / larger organization or need cross-project reporting and consistency, Company-Managed projects are the way to go.

Scrum vs. Kanban: Agile Approaches in Jira

Scrum

Scrum is like a well-structured roadmap for development. It’s designed around sprints — fixed time periods where teams commit to completing a set amount of work. This setup provides a rhythm to your work and ensures you’re always delivering incremental value.

Scrum thrives on planning. Before every sprint, you’ll prioritize tasks from your backlog, deciding what’s achievable in the sprint duration. This focus on planning helps teams stay organized and on track, but it also means you’re working within a tightly defined framework.

Progress is easy to track in Scrum. Velocity charts show how much work your team typically completes in a sprint, and burndown charts give you a visual of remaining tasks versus time left. It’s an ideal approach for teams that need structure and clear deliverables at regular intervals.

Kanban

Kanban is the opposite of rigid — it’s all about flexibility and flow. Kanban is a popular framework used to implement Agile and DevOps software development https://www.atlassian.com/agile/kanban Instead of sprints, work is handled continuously, making it great for teams that deal with unpredictable tasks or maintenance.

To maintain focus, Kanban uses WIP (Work in Progress) limits, which cap how many tasks can be in progress at any time. This keeps the team from overloading and ensures steady progress.

Kanban is also great for analyzing efficiency. Metrics like lead time (how long it takes to complete a task) and cumulative flow diagrams help you spot bottlenecks and optimize workflows. If your team’s priorities shift frequently, Kanban provides the adaptability you need without locking you into a rigid structure.

Lets Wrap here_

Understanding the differences between Team-Managed and Company-Managed projects in Jira, as well as Scrum and Kanban methodologies, is the key to unlocking your team’s potential. Team-Managed projects are great for quick, independent setups, while Company-Managed projects offer the consistency and scalability needed in larger organizations.

Scrum provides structure and regular delivery, whereas Kanban prioritizes flexibility and continuous improvement. By aligning your project type and methodology with your team’s needs, you’ll set the stage for smoother workflows and more successful outcomes.

Remember this, it’s not what you need to do, but how you want to do it!

SVL