Issue tracking: from software development to any other business activity

Initially, issue tracking was used by software developers, later it was adapted to CRM and Support departments. Nowadays, no matter what you do, when you opt for more productivity with less effort, you should consider using issue tracking software. Why are such systems gaining popularity and where exactly can they be applied?

Issue tracking system or bug tracking system are word combinations familiar to any programmer: when developing a software product, they got used to those systems for team task management. The software development routine consists of repeating cycles “made part of the software – tested how it works – improved it”. The issue tracking system helps keep it under precise control.

To be honest, such cycles can be found in almost any other business activity: purchases, contracts approvals, budgeting and so on. We all deal with them in some way and they are routine processes. Even at school: “do homework (student) – check it (teacher) – make corrections (student)”.

At the same time, the final goal of the numerous routine processes lies in more global indicators. If we continue the example with school routine, the final result is the knowledge level which is checked at specific milestones (semester, annual exams). For the software development routine the final result is how quickly the product is delivered and how good it is.

While the developer needs to track how much has been done and how much time they need to finish the project, the customer needs to know where the project currently stands. That is when reports are created.

And it takes time:

1. find data,
2. find out who’s been doing what,
3. find what the status is for each development cycle (make – test – improve).

Making reports can sometimes take as much time as the work itself, and, while you’re making the report you “borrow” time from your project which is profusion, in most cases.

It’s much better when an automated system gathers data from you on each task status while you work on it and then you hit the ‘complete’ button and then it generates project progress reports with the live status on each team player. That is the reason why software development guys started to use issue tracking systems.

Here is when an automated issue tracking system comes to the rescue which, with the help of task management and email notifications asks your co-workers and team players to input short pieces of data each time they beginend a task or, sometimes, during task progression.

And even though issue tracking systems came to us from the software development industry, now you can manage your work with the help of issue tracking whatever your field of activity. If it has routine workflows and if you want to have clarity on what’s going on, issue tracking software is made for you.

Usually, when marketers position this kind of software they appeal to you to ‘orchestrate your team work’ with the help of an issue tracking solution. One of those solutions, Comindware Tracker, is made with the best issue tracking practices by software development gurus and it’s definitely worth taking a look at.

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