How to monitor project progress and milestones in Jira

Monitoring project progress and milestones is essential for ensuring that projects stay on track and meet their goals. With TeamBoard ProScheduler, you can effectively oversee multiple projects and programs using powerful tools designed for comprehensive project management. 

This guide will show you how to utilize the Gantt chart and Dashboard features to keep your projects on schedule and within scope, providing you with the insights needed to make informed decisions and achieve successful outcomes. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Steps in this use case

1. Allocate resources for projects

2. Plan project tasks

3. Track project progress

4. Set milestones for the project

5. Track project progress on the Dashboard

6. Monitor projects continuously

Step 1: Allocate resources for projects

Start with a Project: Create a new Jira project or use an existing one. You can find all Jira projects within TeamBoard ProScheduler and start planning and allocating resources directly.

Add Resources: Access the project and add resources from Jira users or TeamBoard users to plan and assign tasks.

Step 2: Plan project tasks

1. Use the schedule board to plan and assign tasks to multiple assignees.

2. Perform capacity planning for each task of each team member to optimize resource usage.

3. Drag-and-drop Jira issues into the schedule board to visualize resource tasks.

Step 3: Track project progress

The Gantt chart in TeamBoard ProScheduler is a powerful tool for tracking task progress while maintaining the Jira hierarchy. It combines the hierarchical structure of a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) with a visual timeline, allowing teams to break down projects into phases, tasks, and subtasks.

Import task data: Import task data files directly into the Gantt chart using CSV import, allowing you to continue tracking and managing tasks without starting from scratch.

Track progress: In the board settings, enable progress tracking. You can choose to track progress based on task descendants (sub-tasks) or actual completion values. You can also adjust task progress easily with a drag-and-drop interface. Simply drag the progress bar to update the percentage completion of each task.

Set dependencies and enable auto-scheduling: Establish relationships between tasks to reflect their dependencies. You can set dependencies in four ways: Start to Start, Start to Finish, Finish to Start, and Finish to Finish. Once dependencies are set, enable auto-scheduling to automate the adjustment of start and due dates based on changes in task progress. This ensures that your project schedule stays accurate and up-to-date without manual intervention.

Critical Path: Highlight the tasks that are most important and must be completed to finish the project. This helps you focus on key tasks and adjust the project progress accordingly.

Baseline: Create a baseline to compare the original schedule with the actual schedule. This provides valuable insights to monitor progress and ensure the project stays on track.

Step 4: Set milestones for the project

Convert tasks to milestones in the Gantt chart to track significant project phases and ensure your project meets key deadlines. This is particularly helpful for monitoring progress and maintaining a clear overview of important achievements throughout the project.

Step 5: Track project progress on the Dashboard

Get an overview of your project progress on the dashboard. Compare the percentage of completed tasks with those still in progress. You can also monitor the progress of each employee responsible for specific tasks, ensuring everyone stays on track and meets the project’s goals.

Step 6: Monitor projects continuously

Real-Time Updates: Utilize real-time data from dashboards and Gantt charts to keep a constant eye on project progress.

Alert System: Set up alerts for potential delays, resource overloads, or missed milestones to proactively address issues before they escalate.

Monitoring project progress and milestones with TeamBoard ProScheduler ensures efficient and organized project management. With these tools, you'll have full visibility into project health from planning through delivery.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our support team or schedule a demo call to get personalized assistance.