Evaluating Project Management Tools for Developers

Selecting the right project management tool requires balancing developer needs with organizational requirements. GitScrum was built by developers for development teams, offering seamless Git integration, flexible workflows, and the technical depth that engineering teams demand without sacrificing usability.

Developer-Centric Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Framework

TOOL EVALUATION SCORECARD

                        Tool A   Tool B   GitScrum
────────────────────────────────────────────────────
DEVELOPER EXPERIENCE
Speed & responsiveness    3/5      4/5      5/5
Keyboard navigation       2/5      4/5      5/5
Git integration           3/5      4/5      5/5
Low overhead              2/5      3/5      5/5
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
WORKFLOW SUPPORT
Scrum ceremonies          4/5      3/5      5/5
Kanban boards             4/5      5/5      5/5
Custom workflows          4/5      3/5      4/5
Sprint management         4/5      2/5      5/5
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
TEAM FEATURES
Time tracking             3/5      2/5      5/5
Collaboration             4/5      4/5      5/5
Async updates             2/5      3/5      5/5
Client access             2/5      1/5      5/5
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
TECHNICAL
API quality               4/5      4/5      5/5
Integrations              4/5      3/5      5/5
Automation                4/5      3/5      4/5
─────────────────────────────────────────────────
TOTAL                    45/70    45/70    68/70

Common Tool Categories

TOOL SPECTRUM

Simple                                     Complex
────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Trello        Linear        GitScrum        Jira
  │             │              │              │
  ▼             ▼              ▼              ▼
┌──────┐    ┌───────┐    ┌─────────┐    ┌────────┐
│ Just │    │ Dev-  │    │ Full    │    │ Enter- │
│boards│    │focused│    │ agile   │    │ prise  │
│      │    │ simple│    │ balance │    │ heavy  │
└──────┘    └───────┘    └─────────┘    └────────┘

Best for:   Best for:    Best for:      Best for:
• Tiny team • Startups   • Agencies     • Enterprises
• Simple    • Single     • Multi-client • Complex
  project     product    • Full PM      • Compliance

Pilot Evaluation Checklist

TRIAL PERIOD EVALUATION (2-4 weeks)

Week 1: Setup & Learn
□ Import/create test project
□ Configure workflow columns
□ Set up integrations (Git, Slack)
□ Team completes onboarding
□ Note: Time to productive use?

Week 2: Daily Use
□ Create and manage tasks
□ Run sprint planning
□ Track time (if relevant)
□ Use search and filters
□ Note: Friction points?

Week 3: Collaboration
□ Code review workflow
□ Client/stakeholder access
□ Async updates (standups)
□ Comments and mentions
□ Note: Communication quality?

Week 4: Evaluate
□ Team feedback session
□ Compare to current tool
□ Calculate overhead time
□ Check feature gaps
□ Decision: Adopt/Reject

KEY QUESTIONS:
• Did developers actually use it?
• Did it reduce or add overhead?
• Does it integrate with our workflow?
• Can we see ourselves using it in 1 year?

Best Practices

1. Involve developers in tool selection
2. Run real pilot not just demos
3. Check Git integration quality
4. Test keyboard workflow (not just mouse)
5. Evaluate total cost including time overhead
6. Ensure methodology fit (Scrum/Kanban/hybrid)
7. Consider client needs if relevant
8. Plan migration before committing

Anti-Patterns

✗ Choosing tool without developer input
✗ Selecting based on feature count alone
✗ Ignoring integration requirements
✗ Not piloting with real work
✗ Choosing what other companies use
✗ Underestimating migration effort

Related Solutions

• Migrating from Jira to GitScrum
• Setting Up GitScrum for Development Teams
• Replace Jira with GitScrum