Which Collaborative Tools Are Best For Managing Stories In Government Teams?
- Joseph Cruickshank
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Which Collaborative Tools Are Best For Managing Stories In Government Teams?
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: Used to manage simple to enterprise-level delivery projects. It has been widely adopted across many government departments for its flexibility, customisable workflows and robust integration with delivery tracking tools. Without clear configuration and disciplined use, it can become complex and difficult to manage.
Trello: Lightweight and accessible. It is 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): 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: Both are surprisingly common, particularly in teams without access to enterprise tooling. They can be effective for small backlogs where version control and automation are not necessities.
When choosing a tool, prioritise features that support:
Visibility across the team: All disciplines (research, design, delivery, policy, development, test etc..) 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.
Remember: Agile is not about the tool, it is about the conversations it enables. Choose a collaborative tooling platform that supports clarity, encourages shared ownership of stories, but most importantly reflects how your team delivers value.
In the next post, I the question is: 'Are We Even Allowed To Use Cloud-Based Tools Like Jira, Trello or Miro In A Government Project?'
