Don’t Learn Scrum from Jira

Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps teams deliver value in complex environments. It emphasizes empiricism, collaboration, and iterative progress toward goals. But too often, teams try to learn Scrum through tools like Jira—and that’s where things go off track. While Jira is a capable platform for managing work, it shouldn’t be your teacher. Tools can support Scrum, but they don’t define it.

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Tools Are Helpers, Not Teachers

Let’s get something straight: Jira is not inherently bad. It’s widely adopted, flexible, and powerful when used intentionally. But when people try to learn Scrum by following Jira’s templates or workflows, they get a warped version of the framework.

For example, many Jira templates include epics and user stories by default. While those terms are common in Agile circles, they’re not part of Scrum’s official language. The Scrum Guide doesn’t mention epics. It doesn’t require user stories. So, when teams think, “We need epics because that’s what Scrum says,” they’re already off course—because that’s what Jira says, not Scrum.

Scrum Has Clear Definitions

Scrum is built around a few well-defined elements: accountabilities, events, artifacts, and commitments. Each one has a purpose. For instance, the Product Backlog is tied to the Product Goal, and each Sprint should have a Sprint Goal. But look inside Jira’s so-called “Scrum” template—do you see a dedicated space for these goals?

More often than not, you don’t. And that creates problems. Teams get confused. They might skip defining goals altogether because Jira doesn’t prompt them to include one. But in real Scrum, the Product Goal is a key element that gives long-term direction. Ignoring it because a tool doesn’t emphasize it weakens your implementation of Scrum.

Tools Should Follow the Team

working with Jira

Too many teams let Jira drive how they work instead of the other way around. That’s like showing up to a construction site and insisting on using plumbing tools to do a roofing job. Just because the tool is familiar doesn’t mean it’s right for the task.

In Scrum, the framework should come first. Learn how Scrum works, understand why each element exists, and then configure your tool—Jira or anything else—to reflect your process. If your team relies on Sprint Goals, find a way to make those visible in Jira. If you care about the Definition of Done, make it accessible and actionable inside your workflow. Don’t let the lack of a field stop you.

Adapt the Tool

The good news is, Jira is flexible. You can add custom fields, create dashboard views for Sprint Goals, or even integrate Product Goal tracking. But doing that requires clarity on how Scrum actually works. If you don’t understand Scrum, how can you possibly configure Jira to support it?

Scrum doesn’t need fancy automation or layered templates to succeed. It needs a team that communicates, inspects, and adapts. If Jira makes that easier, great. But if it’s making things harder or steering your team away from core Scrum practices, it’s time to adjust the tool—not your understanding of Scrum.

Don’t Let Tools Create Process Debt

One of the silent killers of agility is process debt—when teams accumulate bad habits or misunderstandings because of rigid tools. Jira, when blindly followed, can generate that kind of debt. It hides important Scrum commitments or overcomplicates workflows with fields that don’t map to anything real in the Scrum framework.

When that happens, teams start to believe that Scrum is too complex, too rigid, or doesn’t work for them. But in reality, they’ve never really practiced Scrum—they’ve only followed Jira’s version of it.

Use Tools Wisely

If there’s one thing to take away, it’s this: don’t learn Scrum from a tool. Learn it from trusted sources—the Scrum Guide, experienced coaches, or validated training. Understand the “why” behind the framework before choosing how to implement it.

Project management software can support your team when used intentionally, but it can mislead you if it starts to shape your process. Tools should reflect your team’s working agreements—not replace them.

So yes, use the tools that help. But use them with purpose. Configure them to align with your Scrum implementation. And above all, let the framework guide the tool—not the other way around.

Robert Pieper

Robert Pieper has been a licensed Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer since 2014 and National Public Speaker since 2013. Robb holds an MBA from Marquette University and an Electrical Engineering Degree from Milwaukee School of Engineering. Robb has 15 years of professional software development experience with a passion for making Scrum work delivering real products and services
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