How to Choose the Best Agile Project Management Tool

Agile project management tools are any tools that you use to manage and execute an Agile project. In the most basic form, a whiteboard and post-it notes could be considered Agile management tools. The key difference between Agile methodology tools and other project management tools is their ability to handle Agile frameworks, such as Kanban and Scrum. 

In other words, tools for Agile project management must be able to support Agile project management best practices. For instance, if you’re adopting a scrum framework, it’s important that you select Agile project management software that enables you to create, update, and share Scrum boards. 

Plus, the best Agile software will help your team embrace the key pillars and values of Agile. This means your Agile management software should help increase visibility, communication, and collaboration among team members and stakeholders. Your Agile software should also be flexible enough to enable you to easily change the requirements of your project as needed. 

For instance, when looking for the best Agile tools, consider whether or not the software will allow you to add in new tasks, change resources, or create a new sprint on an existing project easily. 

Don’t forget that both Agile and non-Agile project management tools should enable you to follow project planning best practices. This means that any tool you choose should help you create and maintain project structure, record changes, track and monitor progress, view trends, and gain visibility into your projects’ performance.

When determining which Agile project management tools are best for your team or organization, here are some other important factors to consider:

1. How many projects will you need your tools to handle at one time?
2. How many people need to be able to use the tool at once?
3. Will you be managing both Agile and non-Agile projects? Do you need a tool that can handle both?
4. Do you expect your organization to grow in the next two to five years? The best Scrum tools should be capable of growing with your business. 
5. How user-friendly is the tool? What’s the average user satisfaction rating of the tools you’re considering? 
6. How will users access the tool? Do you need Scrum project management tools that are accessible from multiple locations or mobile devices? 
7. What other tools or systems will your new tools need to integrate with? If you have ERP (enterprise resource planning) software you need your Scrum management tools to integrate with, it’s important to check for this compatibility before purchasing.