[Software] Best agile project management software for 2022

[FazzNoth]

With so many agile project management tools available, it can be overwhelming to find the best fit for you. We've compiled a list of ten tools you can use to take advantage of agile within your organization.

Agile is one of the most po[CENSORED]r project management methods used today. This flexible and scalable method enables teams to take better control of their projects, completing them in stages. The end result is a higher quality outcome that meets all stakeholder expectations.

For teams that wish to take an agile approach to project management, there are various tools available to simplify the process. The following 10 tools and software are perfect options for using the agile method, as well as agile frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban.

 

What is agile project management software?
Through the agile method, teams tackle projects in stages, also known as sprints. At the end of each stage, stakeholder feedback is gathered to determine where changes must be made.

This process continues until the stage is accepted and considered complete. If you were to look at the agile method in visual form, each stage would resemble a circle as iterations are more than welcome. In any agile-based project, things can change rapidly. This is one of the hallmark differences between agile and other project management methods.

Agile project management software was designed to help teams manage this sometimes complex process. This software has built-in tools such as project timelines, Gantt charts and reports that are critical for agile success.

Benefits of agile project management software
According to the Agile Manifesto, the agile method prioritizes collaboration, interaction and response to change. Teams that want to be agile must prioritize the same. And in today’s distributed workforce, this is only made possible through project management software. Some benefits of implementing these tools include:

Simplified project planning
It’s true that agile projects don’t typically follow a standard linear plan. However, there’s much more to project planning than listing tasks with due dates. Agile project management software can simplify critical tasks such as resource planning and identifying dependencies.

Improved productivity
Agile teams must be able to access all of the information regarding a project whenever it’s needed to keep projects moving forward. Project management software improves productivity by centralizing all of the information about a project, including project changes, relevant tasks and stakeholder feedback.

Easier feedback gathering
A critical part of any agile project is gathering stakeholder feedback at the end of each stage. Depending on the number of stakeholders involved, this process can be complex. Many agile project management tools integrate with other tools within your tech stack, such as those you use to gather feedback. As a result, all of your stakeholder feedback can be stored in the same place as all other project data.

Enhanced team collaboration
Project management tools enable efficient team collaboration by providing tools such as tagging, commenting, instant chat and more right inside the software.

Improved project visibility
Many agile project management tools offer visibility features such as dashboards and Kanban-style boards to help you visualize your current projects in real-time. You can see what’s going on with any sprint, at any time.

Agile project management software also enables you to take advantage of hybrid agile methods, including Scrumban, a mix of Scrum and Kanban. Completely adaptable to your workflows, these tools enable you to work your way.

 

Who uses agile project management software?
The agile method has long been hailed as the project management method of choice for fast-moving teams such as product and software developers. This is because these teams rely on stakeholder feedback and testing for a high-quality finished product.

Of course, agile is now used across industries and niches, regardless of what the final deliverable looks like. For example, agile is a po[CENSORED]r method for teams that work on projects without a clear scope or end goal as well as teams that prioritize product improvement.

Teams that complete projects like the above often implement project management software, tools and apps to support their progress.

Key features of agile project management software
The best agile project management software will include a wide range of features to help you manage your projects. Some of the features that are absolute must-haves in any agile solution include:

Sprint management
Agile project management tools should enable you to manage your sprints as well as their accompanying tasks, issues, assignees and more in one place. Bonus points if the tool does so intuitively via drag-and-drop functionality.

Kanban boards and Gantt charts

These are two of the most common project management tools for agile teams. Both are visual tools for depicting project status. Gantt charts are horizontal bar charts while Kanban boards are similar to sticky notes on a whiteboard.

Resource management
Resource management tools help teams effectively budget resources such as cash, time and people. This ensures adequate resources are available to complete a project within a specified timeframe.

Real-time reporting dashboards
Agile project management requires real-time visibility into project progress. Reporting dashboards aggregate reports into a single, visual view for access to instant insights.

Issue tracking
For software development teams, issue tracking is a critical feature. These tools track software bugs so teams can capture and resolve them in a timely manner on behalf of their users.

Third-party integrations
Any useful agile project management software should integrate well with the other software and apps within your tech stack such as those for managing customer relationships, sales, communication, development and reporting. Many tools have integrations built right in as well as open APIs for building out your own integrations.

Mobile capabilities
In today’s mobile workforce, any project management tool should be available via mobile device. This way, teams can manage projects, complete tasks and report on progress from anywhere, at any time. Mobile apps are typically available for phones as well as tablets.

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