Second from a series of product comparison articles
If you use roadmaps or Gantt charts to manage your projects in Jira, or you're looking for a PPM app to fit your work style, then you've come to the right place! This is the third comparison article we put together as part of a series; check the other two out Swanly vs. Advanced roadmaps, and Swanly vs. BigPicture. We’re basically looking at some of the most popular product roadmap tools and Gantt charts out there, that integrate with Jira Cloud. All have their pros and cons and some will fit you better than others.
Down to business: Swanly vs. Structure
Here, we’ll be comparing Structure.Gantt, the adaptable, easy-to-use Gantt chart solution built by ALM works for Jira and available on Cloud, and Swanly, our own project plan and roadmap tool built for Jira Cloud. We will also compare their features side by side for an easy overview.
Quick overview of Structure.Gantt for Jira
Big picture view
Structure.Gantt helps customers visualize, track and manage progress across Jira projects and teams.
Familiar spreadsheet
Structure offers flexible, customizable and user-defined issue hierarchies that are presented in a spreadsheet-like view of Jira issues.
Unlimited hierarchy levels
Not only can you create custom issue hierarchies, but your options are endless given unlimited hierarchy levels.
Compact view
You can also sum-up progress as well as view the progress of work activities across projects in a compact view.
Gantt is an extra
Structure.Gantt is an extension of Structure for Jira; it offers a few essential features (for which you pay separately) that provide a simple Gantt chart view.
Structure pricing options
Structure app is available in Jira for $10 per 10 users, or $1 per user; add to that another $1 for 10 users or $0.6 per user for the Gantt add-on, making the whole solution come up to $11 per 10 users or $1.6 per user.
Pros in a nutshell - Structure. Gantt for Jira
- Cross-project progress tracking
- Replaces spreadsheets
- Visibility across backlogs
- Custom hierarchies
- Gantt is an add-on
- View progress (sum-up or cross-project) in compact view
Structure customer feedback - the good, the bad, the ugly
Good
- Easy to create custom hierarchies in jira (even above epic, such as initiatives or programs)
- Allows to track progress on different levels (roll up values)
- Acts as a great replacement for spreadsheets
- Gantt chart offers simple resourcing solution
- Brings visibility of all backlogs across the project, in a single compact table view
Less good
- The Gantt chart requires quite a bit of time to configure
- Does not feature a sharable progress report of activity
Quick overview of Swanly by Jexo
Top-down planning
Swanly is a holistic solution, as it tackles both macro and micro; the long term vision uses a comprehensive roadmap, which gradually progresses into smaller work structures based on the larger goals.
Efficiency in process
Swanly features cross-team collaboration with multi-project releases and issues, and aggregation of information into dashboards with actionable insights. The list view for example offers access to all high-level feature release data such as name, status, type (hotfix, MVP, retrospective..), progress, start and end dates, and a short description; and can easily be filtered through to give access to any feature being developed at any point by anyone.
Granular data in report form
The deliverable (be it release or issue) is connected to all the data specific to it in a report panel that slides seamlessly.
Well-founded approach to info
Swanly is a plug&play app that offers its own approach to working, planning and tracking in Jira, with minimal customization. It’s designed as a ready-made, hassle-free solution.
Structured approach to information
Progress information is structured and presented under each deliverable (issues) separately and is accessible via the report view. High level list view on the other hand is available for comparing the progress of activities against each other.
Suitable for technical and non-technical
Swanly is an all-inclusive, UI delight of an app that is very easy to set up, and suitable for technical and non-technical teams alike.
Swanly pricing options
Swanly is available in Jira for free, if you're 10 or less users; beyond that, it's $1.5 per user. Big teams get good discounts.
Pros in a nutshell - Swanly
- Go-to hub for planning, tracking and managing all work deliverables in Jira
- Plans and deliverables are illustrated clearly on the roadmap with high-level details
- Visual roadmaps to help communicate plans across projects and teams
- Features both Issue and Release roadmaps
- Release and issue roadmaps are merged into one window
- Multiple templates are available for custom delivery phases
- Zero configuration is required, with ready-made reports including burndown charts
- List view that allows multi team collaboration with cross-project work
Swanly Customer feedback - the good, the bad, the ugly
Good
- Setup is very simple and fast
- Swanly offers ready-made reports
- Top down planning is useful
- Can drill down for more insights as opposed to a Gantt chart which shows everything
- Swanly’s structure is straightforward with an approach geared towards offering guidance
- Uses predefined and quick way to plan and track work
Less good
- Not that configurable
- There are no hierarchy options available (yet)
- Extra columns cannot be added to the list view (yet)
Structure vs. Swanly feature infographic
To summarize: Swanly vs. Structure.Gantt
If you want a simple, plug&play tool that you can start using right away, with compartmentalized dashboard access to information so you don't get bombarded, and direct access to ready-made reports, then Swanly is for you.
If you're looking for a great spreadsheet replacement, something you can configure to help you create easy custom hierarchies in Jira and bring visibility of backlogs across your project in a single compact table view, then Structure.Gantt is your tool!