The Top 5 Lean Tools for Agile Enthusiasts

We all agree that it is lean is very important for project management. And it is for this reason that lean tools have been created. But what exactly are lean tools? A lean tool is a software that allows employees to grab opportunities for improvement anytime they see them. They have a system where all team members will have access to. This makes information sharing very easy. They also notify you of any alert so that you can be informed and productive at all times.

These five online tools will tremendously help your project management.

For Agile enthusiasts, here are the top five lean tools that you can use to make your work easier

LeanKit
This software is like a kit for lean project management and it uses “Ready Queues” on a Kanban Board. According to them, they are the “only lean-based enterprise platform that helps you deliver customer value faster.” The tool comes with advanced features such as metrics, work in progress limits, and advanced filters. Their premium plan also includes some additional features for big-sized companies such as multi-team relationships, an integration hub, custom fields, and a private cloud.
Pros:
• It is designed with a highly customizable boards and tasks.
• It is very simple to use and a clean interface.
Cons:
• The server slows down once in a while especially for enterprise-size businesses.
• Getting the software to assign workloads is very difficult.
• It doesn’t have time tracking features.

KPI Fire
The primary aim of this tool is to align the employees and teams with their company’s goals. The software is built on a Lean Six Sigma framework and doesn’t rely much on Kanban cards. The tool takes goal setting and project management and merges them together with your dashboard interface.
It lacks some advanced options and features that are available in other project management tools. Such features include analytics and customizable boards. However, if your aim is to stay on track for either an annual or quarterly strategy goals, then this software is perfect for you.
Pros:
• It is perfect for multiple projects.
• They have an excellent customer service.
• It has Gantt Charts.
Cons:
• It has no mobile platform
• It lacks some advanced options such as analytics and custom boards

Kanbanize
This tool is very popular because of its ease of use and according to their website, it gives you a “300% improvement on end-to-end project efficiency.” It is sleek and has a color-friendly interface. The tool has a lot of unique and trademark features such as branching rules, email integration, and time-tracking. New features have also been incorporated in the tool. These features include deeper analytics, Spanish internationalization (to go along with English and German), inherited card parameters, and walkthrough tutorials.
Pros:
• Its analytics is deep and robust.
• Its color interface has made it very easy to use.
• It has a multilingual support (languages include English, German and Spanish)
Cons:
• It doesn’t offer Gantt Charts.
• It lacks some features such as resource management.
• Once the budget is set, it cannot be managed after that.

SmartView
This software was designed by Canadian developers and it effectively combines user story maps, Kanban boards, and cumulative user metrics to improve team productivity. It has customizable boards and you are given the opportunity to review the project after completion because of the detailed report it is able to gather.
It also integrates other working apps like slack so that communication can be done easily. SmartView is also optimized for Google Chromecast to broadcast reports to any TV or monitor.
Pros:
• It integrates slack and chromecast as part of its features.
• It offers you a customizable board.
Cons:
• It doesn’t have a time tracking feature.
• Its app is only available for Android.
• Its free version is designed to accommodate only one user.
• It also lacks budget management features.

TeamPage
This software is quite unique as it aims to combine exquisite aspects of social media, project management, and content tools. The result will be an efficient working environment for over 1000 members. The tool focuses more on features such as tasks, milestones, and timeliness. This is in stark contrast with what Kanban offers.
Pros:
• It is unique in that it offers live online or in-person training.
• It is very affordable.
Cons:
• Before it can be used, 25 members or more will have to agree annually.
• It doesn’t have Kanban boards or Gantt Charts.
• Budget and resource management aren’t available.

Conclusion.
These five online tools will tremendously help your project management. You can review them and choose which one is perfect for your project.

What's next? Learn how to use Continuous improvement and build a culture of stopping to fix problems, to get quality right from the first. Enroll in the Certified Lean Project Manager®