You might be wondering why we’re using GitHub to track and discuss our work items, rather than JIRA.
In a nutshell, it’s because:
- Issues is better-integrated with other features of GitHub
- We can easily and usefully add references and links between issues and commits and/or Pull Requests
- This is significantly easier, faster, simpler, better documented, and more broadly integrated than integrations between JIRA and GitHub
- We find JIRA unpleasant, frustrating, inefficient, and ineffective.
- Therefore if we used JIRA, we would end up collaborating more outside of the system, e.g. in
Zoom, Slack, or meatspace.
- Then the actual state of the work and the state of the work as reflected in JIRA would drift, and toil would be required to resynchronize them.
- We believe that tools should always be chosen by those who use them, rather than mandated by others.
- We believe that the happiness of the team — our team, and all teams — is important.
- Therefore if we used JIRA, we would end up collaborating more outside of the system, e.g. in
Zoom, Slack, or meatspace.
And if you’re wondering: what about the downside that if/when someone outside the team wants to take a look at what the team is up to — to check in, or follow along — well, now they have to have access to a different system, they have to learn how to use it, they’ll have yet another place to check?
Well, we believe that that’s an edge case. The team itself will be using their work tracking system all day, every day, so the system needs to be optimized for their needs and happiness.
If you’re wondering: since the members of the Architecture Team are also members of the Architecture Forum, won’t they have work split across two different systems, and won’t that be problematic — well, we don’t mind. If it means spending 90% of our time in GH and only 10% in JIRA, it’s worth it.