How does Jira track issue progress in a project?

Jira tracks issue progress in a project primarily through customizable workflow statuses. Each issue in Jira moves through various stages of a workflow defined by the team or organization, which might include statuses such as "To Do," "In Progress," "In Review," and "Done." This visual representation allows everyone involved in the project to see at a glance where an issue currently stands in its lifecycle.

The ability to customize workflows is particularly significant because it allows teams to define processes that are specific to their needs. This customization supports different methodologies, such as Agile or Scrum, where workflows can change frequently, and teams require flexibility to adapt to their processes.

While time tracking features, deadlines, and email notifications are useful tools in project management, they do not provide the comprehensive view of an issue's status across a workflow that customizable statuses do. Time tracking can help monitor how long tasks take, but it doesn't visually indicate an issue's position in the overall process. Deadlines set due dates for tasks but do not show the status. Email notifications can inform stakeholders about changes or updates but do not replace the need for clear visual tracking of progress through workflow statuses.