Which collaborative tools are best for managing stories in government teams?

Practical answers to frequently asked questions and common challenges in Agile story writing and digital delivery.

There is no single mandated tool across government departments. Delivery teams often select tools based on local context, procurement constraints and team preferences. What is important is how effectively the tool you choose supports transparency, collaboration and delivery governance.

Popular tools used in government Agile teams include:

• Jira is widely used across departments due to its flexibility, workflow customisation, and strong integration with delivery tracking. It is ideal for large-scale delivery programmes but can become unwieldy without clear configuration and discipline.

• Trello is lightweight and accessible, suitable for early-phase projects, small teams, or Alpha delivery where visual flow and simplicity are priorities. It is less audit-friendly at scale.

• Azure DevOps (ADO) is often preferred in Microsoft-based environments, particularly where infrastructure and DevSecOps pipelines are integrated. It supports detailed traceability and delivery dashboards.

  
  

• Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel are surprisingly common, particularly in teams without access to enterprise tooling. They can be effective for small backlogs, prototyping or stakeholder walkthroughs, unfortunately, they lack version control and automation.

When choosing a tool, prioritise features that support:

• Visibility across the team: All disciplines (research, design, delivery, policy, development, test) should be able to see and engage with the backlog.

• Audibility and reporting: Especially important in regulated environments and for GDS assessment evidence.

  
  

• Workflow customisation: The ability to reflect real sprint states, Impediments, Blockers, Dependencies and review stages.

  
  

• Cross-team coordination: Larger programmes may require portfolio views or integration across multiple delivery teams.

Agile is not about the tool, it is about the conversations it enables. Choose a tooling platform that supports clarity, encourages shared ownership of stories, but most importantly reflects how your team delivers value.