IBM Rational DOORS vs IBM Rational Focal Point vs Jira comparison

IBM Rational DOORS is a requirements management tool whose software makes it easy to analyze, capture, trace, and manage changes to information.

IBM Rational DOORS Features

IBM Rational DOORS has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

• Requirements Interchange Format
• Rational DOORS Web Access
• Test Tracking Toolkit
• Open Services for Lifecycle Collaboration (OSLC)
• Requirements definition and management capabilities
• Work item system for task management and planning
• Reporting system

IBM Rational DOORS Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing IBM Rational DOORS. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

• Simple predefined change proposal system: By using IBM Rational DOORS, you can manage changes to requirements via a simple predefined change proposal system or a more customizable and thorough change control workflow.

• Linking: With IBM Rational DOORS, you can link requirements to test plans, design items, test cases, and other requirements, making traceability easier.

• Collaboration-friendly: Business analysts, business users, systems engineers, and marketing suppliers can collaborate directly through requirements discussions.

• Boosts productivity: IBM Rational DOORS traces requirements and eliminates manual processes and spreadsheets, thereby improving productivity.

• Cost-efficient: Because IBM Rational DOORS effectively manages the requirements of its users, it helps reduce development costs.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by PeerSpot users currently using the IBM Rational DOORS solution.

PeerSpot user Juergen A., System Engineer, Requirements Engineer, Managing Director at CCC Systems Engineering Suisse GmbH, says, “One of the most valuable features of the program is the usability. It is really simple to use and its logic, look and feel are familiar to most customers. Let's say it is more of an old-fashioned interface design. If you look at the software, you will notice that the layout is similar to the old Microsoft Windows Explorer. This is helpful to customers who have long-term experience because the look and feel is something they remember from the structure of Explorer and they find it familiar when they go to use DOORS.” He also adds, “There are several other features in the product that are valuable to users and to us. These features would have to do with the traceability and the possibilities for customization of the RP (Relying Party). This is important because several of our clients run an awful lot of customizations.”

A Project Manager at a tech services company mentions, "We have different generations of all products. It lets us select and see unique attributes for each release or generation. You can use attributes to define a selection area to see which equipment are for the old versions and which ones are for the new versions. This inbuilt view is what I like in IBM Rational DOORS. So, for a database and a set of requirements, it will select and show unique attributes for a release or a generation."

A Sr. Systems Engineer at a manufacturing company comments, “I like the user interface with regard to creating links between requirements and tracing links to requirements. I like the DXL Wizard, in particular, to build custom views that I save. I am a fan of the DOORS Change Proposal System, although a lot of people where I'm working have their own homegrown system. I continue to push them to migrate to the DOORS CPS.”

Julie K., Lead Modeling & Simulation Engineer at a tech services company, explains, “Being able to track changes to requirements and being able to export is the solution's most valuable aspect.”

IBM Rational Focal Point is a comprehensive portfolio planning solution for market-driven teams. With Rational Focal Point, teams can make collaborative, objective decisions to deliver market, customer, and business value. By understanding what matters most, your organization can respond to dynamic market conditions and deliver valued products and projects.

Jira is a powerful cloud- and subscription-based application lifecycle and issue management solution. It is designed to aid users both in project management and in resolving any issues that arise at any point in the software development process. It is especially concerned with easing the ability of developers to collaborate. 

Jira Benefits

Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by choosing to deploy Jira include:

• DevOps lifecycle visibility and planning. Jira provides application developers with tools that enable them to track and visualize where they are in the development process. This means that a DevOps team can measure their progress at all times. Jira’s roadmapping feature also enables a DevOps team to work more efficiently by setting goals for their projects, keeping them on track. Additionally, they are able to track whether they are meeting the goals that they set for their projects.

• Regular product updates. Atlassian is constantly updating Jira so that it is continuously evolving into an ever more powerful and user-friendly solution. Users can be sure that the product that they are using is always being tweaked so as to provide them with the best possible project management solution. 

• Flexibility. Jira enables users to customize their workflows and dashboard so that the solution is operating in a way that best matches their needs. Jira can also integrate with more than 3,000 other applications and integrations. Organizations can use it to expand their project management and DevOps capabilities in many different ways. 

Jira Features

• Security capabilities. Jira is equipped with a number of useful security features. It gives administrators the ability to restrict access to certain tools so that only users who are authorized to complete certain tasks have access to the tools related to the completion of that task. Users can also set default permissions so that only particular users can work on new projects or particular projects.

• Real-time notification feature. Users can set Jira so that it offers them notifications that contain critical information in real time. It can send users email notifications when pressing issues have been updated. They can also set it to notify them about tasks that may be due, or other similar events.

• Activity log. Jira has the ability to track any and all changes that are taking place within the software framework. Users can keep a close eye on everything that is going on. This promotes a high level of visibility and can be leveraged to aid developers in their collaboration efforts. 

Reviews from Real Users

Jira is a powerful solution that stands out when compared to many of its competitors. Two major advantages it offers are its workflow engine and its highly customizable dashboard. 

Bharath R., the tool implementation and project management lead at a financial services firm, writes, “I feel the strongest feature of Jira is its workflow engine. It empowers us to automate our workflows within our organization. It's the one characteristic of Jira which I think can help any organization, be it in any domain.”

Uday J., a staff engineer at a computer company, says, “Another thing that I like a lot about Jira is that in the dashboard, you can plug the modules that you want. You can enable certain sections. For example, you can show trend history, open Jira tickets, etc. Some of the managers have created a dashboard for each engineer.”