Most organizations like Skype, Linden Lab and Fedora Commons adopt issue-tracking applications. They often use JIRA, a cross-platform freeware developed by Atlassian, to efficiently manage projects and track bugs within their program.
The Australian enterprise software company recently announced the split-up of its JIRA project into three standalone products: JIRA Core, JIRA Software and JIRA Service. Like a three-legged stool that balances perfectly, the change will support non-technical use for IT, marketing, sales and human resources.
JIRA Core aims to accommodate those who do not have proper programming training. JIRA Software helps software developers track how they create applications and services. JIRA Service is a program designed for IT help desks that trace user requests and troubleshooting problems.
JIRA Software and JIRA Core both cost $10 per month. JIRA Service is available starting at $10 for up to three agents.
Jay Simons, president of Atlassian, explained that the technology used for each of the applications is still similar to one another, and only some of the terminology has changed. Tickets in JIRA Core won't have the same complex tooling and empty fields for the "software lingo" found in JIRA Software.
Using JIRA, projects will be easily tracked for each department in an organization. For instance, company lawyers can use JIRA to look after issues and cases through the efficient organization of information.
Simons said that a company's legal department usually communicates with the rest of the company through email, which reduces visibility, making it hard to keep track of who's working on what or how long it's taking them.
"For team collaboration to truly improve, the right tools need to be accessible by every team in every organization. It's why Excel, Word, and email remain where teams attempt to track and manage processes despite being entirely inefficient," said Mike Cannon-Brookes, co-chief executive and co-founder of Atlassian.
Currently, over 35,000 businesses across 165 countries have incorporated JIRA into their system.
In September, the Australian tech company applied for an initial public offering under the JOBS Act. For 13 years, Atlassian has flourished through word of mouth and reports claim that the company is now worth $3 billion. It will soon make its debut sometime later this year.
