All About Agile Project Management Software that You Should Know • Slash

Did you know that 94% of global software companies used agile project management software at least once to develop solutions in 2022? These numbers signify that agile tools will soon become a permanent management system, especially in the IT sector.
So what is agile project management software? How can it be beneficial to you as a business or stakeholder? And what kind of agile tool should the developers use according to agile techniques?
This article will tell you all the essential information about agile project management. You learn about the advantages of using agile project management tools, 3 popular agile methodologies, and 5 free and paid tools.

Table of Contents

What is Agile Project Management Software?

A product developed through iterations and customer feedback incorporation is said to be agile project management. In other words, it is an iterative approach to administering projects by continuously releasing product versions with changes based on customers’ feedback. These amendments are made through specific tools called agile project management software.
Also Read: Agile Development at Slash

Benefits of Using Agile Project Management Software

Software development teams using the agile approach can deliver high-end solutions catering to users’ needs. You should hire developers using agile project management software for the following reasons.

1. Minimum Risk

Project management with agile software magnifies overall visibility, allowing developers to predict and mitigate risks at an early stage. For example, in agile project management software with scrum technique, burndown charts and sprint backlogs can help managers know the team’s progress.
They can identify the possible hurdles by reviewing the current performance and can make plans to overcome them. Likewise, a project planned on agile methodology never fails since the approach works in sprints for continuous delivery.

2. Customer Involvement and Satisfaction

In traditional methods, the customer can only participate in the planning phase. They have no role in the execution, ultimately affecting the project’s adaptability. However, with agile project management software, customers have a free hand to play their part in decision-making, leading to maximum satisfaction. When the changes are made in accordance with their feedback, the final product automatically delivers value.

3. Continuous Communication

Development teams prefer continuous interaction with the stakeholders to provide updates, and agile project management software enables them to do it. How? Because agile tools allow agile project managers to determine whether or not every member is on the same page. Moreover, the software enables them to ensure everyone strives to meet the same business goals.

4. High Flexibility

The agile project management software makes development teams flexible in implementing changes in your product on short notice. It is because the agile framework divides your project into different sprints, which are easy to manage and modify. That is one of the top reasons why innovative organizations prefer project completion through agile methodology.

5. Refined Product Quality

Testing is a compulsory part of agile methodology. You can expect a high-quality final product with agile software project management, as the process consists of repeated testing during each phase.

6. Great Control

Hiring a team for agile project management software development gives project managers better control over different aspects. They can ensure project transparency, test features for their quality, and develop product traits by integrating customer feedback.

7. Greater Improvement

A project management software for agile development ensures continuous improvement in your product. Remember, the agile framework requires iterations, which means each sprint is an improved version of the last one without previous mistakes.

Top 3 Techniques when Using Agile Project Management Software

Before implementing any agile project management software, you should know different agile techniques or frameworks. This knowledge will help you choose the ideal software for agile project management. Or, if you are outsourcing the project to a reliable tech partner, you can identify if the tools they are using match the framework.

Scrum

Scrum is a popular agile technique that allows teams to deliver your project incrementally. This framework is pillared on iteration and team collaboration.
Features of Scrum:

Team members have predefined roles
Work scope is segmented into short cycles called sprints
Each sprint is one to four weeks long
Teams follow a strict work plan to fulfill goals in each sprint

Kanban

Kanban is a visual technique to manage and track workflow by agile teams. The kanban-based agile project management software has a kanban board designed to review work-in-progress (WIP).
Features of Kanban:

WIP is always the priority
Development is done in timeboxed cycles
Teams develop products through workflow visualization
Teams are allowed to change the work plan at any development stage

Extreme Programming (XP)

Extreme Programming, or XP, is an agile technique that allows programmers to develop high-quality software through team collaboration, adaptation, and continuous feedback.
Features of Extreme Programming (XP):

The approach mainly focused on the technical characteristics of software development
Focused on writing clear code
Consistent product development stages – coding, testing, designing, and code integration
Face-to-face team communication with customer involvement

Also Read: Scrum vs. Kanban vs. Scrumban: Which Train to Catch for Succesful Project Completion

5 Best Agile Project Management Software – Free and Paid Tools

Here are the five agile project management software famous among agile teams.

1. Jira – Agile Project Management Software Free for Lifetime

Jira is a free agile project management software for up to 10 users, making it a great tool for a big scrum team. However, if there are multiple teams, then you are required to purchase its premium plan.
Jira Overview

Real-time data reporting
Pre-built and customized workflow options
Full visibility of work to all the team members
Integration with a wide range of developer tools
Sprint planning, user stories creation, and task distribution
Availability of kanban boards, scrum boards, agile reporting, and roadmaps

2. Monday.com – Agile Project Management Software with 14-Day Trial

Monday.com quickly gained popularity in the market as an agile software project management tool. It is a user-friendly app with a low learning curve. Plus, it offers a 14-day free trial without any upfront payment.
Monday.com Overview

Quick deployment
24/7 customer support
Automatic tasking for less human error
Integration with several communication tools
Availability of kanban boards, calendars, timelines, and more

3. Forecast – Agile Project Management Software Backed by AI

Forecast is an excellent all-in-one software project management agile tool for project-driven organizations. The program is powered by Artificial Intelligence, allowing teams to automate tasks like planning, resource allocation, progress tracking, and more. Additionally, the software is free to use for 14 days.

Forecast Overview

Simple sprint planning
Well-organized backlog
Multiple permission levels for user access
Easy analysis of projects’ financial conditions

4. Mavenlink – Agile Project Management Software for Multiple Departments

Mavenlink is made for big teams to manage different projects across various departments. As a matter of fact, this tool can easily handle 500+ projects, and you can start using it for free for 10 days.
Mavenlink Overview:

Third-party tools integration
Real-time automation options
Single window view to see the complete project portfolio

5. VivifyScrum – Agile Project Management Software Ideal for Scrum Teams

VivifyScrum is one of the adaptable agile project management software tools suitable for small and large teams. This management tool is also available on a 7-day free trial.
VivifyScrum Overview:

Payment tracking and built-in invoice feature
Scrum metrics, burndown charts, and other metrics
Pre-existing, unlimited and custom scrum and kanban boards

Also Read: The Agile Leadership Trio: The 3 Pillars of a Scrum Team

Conclusion

The right agile project management software multiplies the product success rate. It allows developers to stay on track and manage tasks with an entire focus. Most agile project management tools support scrum and kanban frameworks. Nevertheless, all agile techniques help deliver projects on time.
At Slash, we build digital solutions through agile practices and the latest project management tools. We are a renowned company for providing scrum-driven agile software development services to startups and enterprises. Our rigorously vetted scrum masters, product owners, and developers ensure adding a next-level digital experience to your product that brings value to your audience. Contact us today to get started with agile software development.

FAQs – Agile Project Management Software

Q1. What is the best tool for agile project management?

Some of the best tools software development teams use for agile project management are Asana and Trello.

Q2. What is the popular tool used in agile?

Jira is a famous tool utilized by most agile software development services. It allows them to manage both scrum and kanban frameworks.

Q3. Can Microsoft Project be used for agile?

Microsoft Project can manage different agile frameworks, including scrum, kanban, hybrid-agile, and more.