Visual project design & reporting & Pivotal Tracker with add-ons

UML

Some business owners wish to see diagrams which can explain the software structure of a project visually. In those cases, UML is a good choice:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Modeling_Language
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applications_of_UML

The following (kinds of) UML diagram are useful for that purpose:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activity_diagram
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_diagram
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequence_diagram
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_Case_Diagram

VISUAL PARADIGM

Often, business owners are attracted to the tool, Visual Paradigm. Unfortunately, it is quite expensive.

The tool itself isn't web-based, but the company (free of charge) offers VPository, cloud storage for developers working collaboratively.

IMO, a download for each user is fine in itself if the project data is shared.

Its Professional Edition is the minimum practical level to obtain the features which business owners often are interested in: Requirements Gathering ("uexceler"), Task Management, and Wireframes.

Regarding Visual Paradigm's cost factor, they levy a surcharge to receive bug fixes for their software. (Like all software, I suppose it's buggy.) Therefore, currently the Single Seat License for the Professional Edition is really $838.50 per person (= $699 + $139.50). Floating Licenses—for transient project contributors—are $1,090.00 each (= $908.50 + $181.50. All prices are in US dollars.).

Maybe using Visual Paradigm is really taking things too far.

Basecamp can maintain a project glossary as a versioned, editable file.

For most projects, the database schema diagram can be auto-generated (at least once) and stored in Basecamp.

Perhaps User Stories, and images for each wireframe block, can be tied together in some easy fashion (see "Add-ons adding pictures to User Stories", below).

TOOLS SIMILAR TO VISUAL PARADIGM

I came across this list of tools similar to Visual Paradigm. Of them, the following might be useful:

  http://www.gentleware.com/uml-software-community-edition.html
  http://www.modeliosoft.com/en/products/features.html
  http://www.softwareideas.net/en/features/

PIVOTAL TRACKER

Because Pivotal Tracker is quite successful (or popular), people have contributed quite a large number of add-ons:

Add-ons adding pictures to User Stories:
  http://blog.snapengage.com/2010/03/pivotal-tracker-snapashot-integration/
  https://trackduck.com/en/content/integrations/pivotaltracker/
  https://usersnap.com/pivotaltracker

Add-ons adding User Stories from plain text:
  https://github.com/gabehollombe/Pivotxt
  https://github.com/hashrocket/slurper

Add-ons dumping User Stories:
  https://gist.github.com/glarrain/5861055

Add-ons for bugs:
  http://bugdigger.com/pivotal/
  http://bugherd.com/blog/bugherd-and-pivotal-tracker-best-of-friends/
  http://www.redline.cc/

Add-ons for reporting:
  https://www.dashofagile.com/pivotaltracker
  http://www.easy-insight.com/solutions/PivotalTracker.html
  https://github.com/jimlindstrom/Tracker-Dashboard
  https://www.in-sight.io/
  http://www.just-facts.co/#tabs-services
  http://support.leftronic.com/customer/portal/articles/1120034-create-a-pivotal-tracker-dashboard
  https://www.leftronic.com/services/pivotal-tracker/
  https://www.prodpad.com/2013/05/integrate-with-jira-trello-and-pivotal-tracker/
  http://apps.splunk.com/app/1584/
  http://start-software.com/tracker/modules/tracker-dashboard/
  https://www.tenxer.com/how/
  https://www.tenxer.com/what/
  http://www.timecamp.com/blog/index.php/2012/11/
      log-time-on-a-story-card-in-pivotal-tracker-and-timecamp-integration/

Add-ons for testing:
  http://www.gurock.com/testrail/
  http://www.testlodge.com/

Add-ons liaising other sites with Pivotal Tracker, also with Basecamp:
  http://www.redline.cc/
  http://www.testlodge.com/
  https://trackduck.com/en/content/integrations/basecamp/

Add-ons liaising with Cucumber:
  https://github.com/tpope/pickler

Add-ons liaising with GitHub:
  https://github.com/getvega/Pivothub
  https://github.com/stevenharman/git_tracker
  https://github.com/zauberlabs/gh-pivotal-integration

Add-ons liaising with Redbooth:
  https://help.redbooth.com/hc/en-us/articles/200752732-Pivotal-Tracker-Integration

Add-ons liaising with Redmine:
  https://github.com/capita/redmine_trackmine

Other relevant add-ons:
  http://blog.aha.io/index.php/aha-integrated-with-pivotal-tracker-for-visual-product-roadmaps/
  http://blog.busyflow.com/2012/01/16/the-benefits-of-a-deep-pivotal-tracker-integration/
  https://github.com/bimovidia/planning-poker
  https://github.com/joncooper/lorem-tracker
  https://github.com/nathanmcdaniel/pivotalstuff/tree/master/viewallmywork
  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/
      clone-stories-for-pivotal/mpaldiblbgdmmnolghhbohicignfhimb
  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/
      easy-copy-for-pivotal-tra/mmlaaianjmomeolpmmhdcmjnnmmoalbh
  https://code.google.com/p/mastercontrol/
  http://hojoki.com/
  https://www.honeybadger.io/
  http://sluglug.com/
  https://storymapper.io/

OTHER POSSIBLY INTERESTING PLANNING TOOLS

  http://www.clarizen.com/project-management-solutions/agile-project-management.html
  http://www.clockingit.com/screenshots
  http://www.goplanapp.com/home/features
  http://www.huddle.com/product-overview/
  http://leankit.com/product/
  http://www.mangoapps.com/features
  https://www.planbox.com/tour/
  http://planship.com/
  https://pmrobot.com/features
  http://www.strikebase.com/
  http://www.thymer.com/why/
  https://trello.com/
  https://www.ubirimi.com/
  https://www.ubirimi.com/product/agile
  https://www.ubirimi.com/product/documentador
  https://www.ubirimi.com/product/yongo
  http://www.versionone.com/product/agile-collaboration-tools/
  http://www.versionone.com/product/agile-visualization/
  http://www.webplanner.com/site/index.php
  http://wholemeal.co.nz/projects/fulcrum.html
  http://www.zoho.com/

TRACK DUCK

Track Duck (highly popular) allows people to add comments to any website, after it automatically takes a screen shot.

Track Duck integrates with Pivotal Tracker and Basecamp, etc.

With it, one easily can add (one or multiple) images to Pivotal Tracker User Stories, and also create images for Basecamp. But see other "Add-ons adding pictures to User Stories", above.

Reviews of Track Duck:
  http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/17/
      trackduck-a-tiny-web-site-build-tracking-startup-appears-to-be-on-a-roll/
  http://goaleurope.com/2014/02/04/
      lithuanian-trackduck-launches-new-version-of-its-interactive-website-feedback-tool/

Copyright (c) 2014 Mark D. Blackwell.