At OpenProject - the open source project management platform trusted by thousands of teams worldwide - we are making a clear statement: we want to be your sovereign go-to solution for agile teams. We are excited to give you an outlook on what is coming in 2026, in order to further improve agile ways of working within OpenProject.

Co-creation with our Community

We have been exploring, through many interviews with our current and future users - how the backlog refinement and sprint planning experience in OpenProject could evolve to better support agile collaboration. We also analyzed the pain points Jira users experience when working in agile teams. This helped us better understand your needs. We used those insights to provide first prototypes of redesigned backlogs and boards, which were then tested with users. Within an open source project software like OpenProject, you have the possibility to shape the product together with us. This is also why we are releasing our prototypes within this blog post and looking forward to your feedback.

Improved backlog refinement and sprint planning

The goal of the new concept is to make backlog refinement, sprint planning and usage of agile boards more intuitive, structured, and scalable for growing teams and enterprises, especially for teams migrating from Jira to OpenProject, who are working with Scrum, Kanban or SAFe. By improving how backlog items are organized and how teams interact with their sprint planning view, we aim to create a smoother and more flexible agile experience in OpenProject. Let’s take a closer look at how these ideas could support teams during agile ceremonies.

Automated backlog

At the beginning of April 2026, we plan to release the first iteration of our redesigned Backlog module. You will then automatically see all work packages from your project within the backlog without the need of adding them manually to the backlog. In case you don’t want certain work package types to be automatically visible in the backlog you will later on get a possibility to exclude them from the automated backlog.

Structuring large backlogs with backlog buckets

Have you ever struggled with structuring a backlog with hundreds of work packages? We have a solution for you! The updated backlog design will introduce clearer ways to organize backlog items using backlog buckets. You can use buckets to sort your work packages in a way which will help you keep an overview over the backlog and your team’s priorities. You just create buckets which are relevant to you and you easily drag & drop the work packages to newly created buckets. With this improvement, you can easily sort e.g. your “Low hanging fruits”, “Priority bugs” or work packages which are “Ready for development”.

Fast lane for moving work packages

We are also planning to implement improved ordering mechanisms for work packages (move up, move to top, move down, move to bottom, or move to sprint). With one click, you will be able to easily move your to-do’s to a relevant bucket or sprint. Less scrolling back and forth. This makes it faster to manage large backlogs and keep priorities where they belong.

Backlog filters and saved views

Of course you will also have a possibility to filter your backlog based on all attributes, incl. custom fields. In case you would like to re-use a certain view in future, you will be able to save it as a public or private view. This will allow you to quickly navigate to the set of work packages that is relevant to you and where you would like to zoom in.

Sprint planning

With the backlog view on the left and sprints on the right, you you can see your sprints and backlogs on one screen without scrolling. This view will boost your productivity during sprint planning. The improved layout makes it easier to see what work is ready to be pulled into the next iteration.

At a glance, key information about each backlog work package is visible:

• Name
• ID
• Type
• Status
• Assignee
• Number of story points
• Priority

You will have the possibility to not only define the sprint scope but to also highlight the sprint goal in order to align your team, as well as to set sprint dates.

Active sprints and sprint boards

Once you’ve started your sprint, you will automatically get a sprint board, showing you the planned sprint scope. This is your team’s go-to place during the sprint. With this overview, you will always see who is working on which topic and how the team is making progress.

Multiple active sprints within one project

Do you have various teams working within one project? Do they want to start separate sprints in parallel? No problem! OpenProject will allow admins to define if a project should be a single-sprint or multi-sprint project. This brings more clarity to your teams and their sprints, at the same time allowing them to work within the same backlog.

Board filters and saved views

Once the sprint begins, teams rely on boards to manage their day-to-day work. The new concepts explores how sprint boards could provide a clearer way to track progress. With introduced filters, you will be able to adjust the board view to your needs. You can filter for any kind of attributes, incl. custom fields. In case you would like to re-use some of the filter sets, you can always save the view as a private or public view.

Configurable work package cards

The redesigned board behavior is intended to make daily work management more intuitive. Clearly structured work items and the board layout help teams stay focused on progress and flow while reducing visual clutter. With the configure board view, teams could adjust the card size and choose which information should be displayed on each card. The design illustrates three levels of card configuration: compact, regular, and full; giving users flexibility in how much information is displayed.

Status mapping for complex workflows

The concept will also introduce the ability to map multiple workflow statuses to a single column, giving teams more flexibility in how they visualize their workflow. This will be a booster for teams working with complex workflows.

Work in progress limits

Would you like your team to deliver faster? Focusing on the most important topics and reducing work in progress is an essential productivity booster for agile teams. OpenProject will support you on this path through work-in-progress limits which can be set for each column individually.

Swimlanes

Users will get a possibility to enable swimlanes and configure them based on attributes such as parent work item (e.g. epic), assignee, version, component, priority, or type, allowing teams to organize work in a way that best supports their workflow. Swimlanes will provide your team with a very structured board view.

Agile reports

To support monitoring and improvement, teams can also access reports designed to help track, analyze, and optimize performance during and after a sprint. These will be very helpful during retrospectives. We are planning multiple reports and graphs:

• sprint reports
• burndown charts
• burnup charts
• velocity charts
• created vs. resolved chart
• cumulative flow diagram

Sharing

Especially within enterprises, when working based on SAFe principles, most teams should be aligned on sprint start and end dates. Already within our first agile release (currently planned for April 2026), we will allow users to share sprints through the whole instance or within a certain portfolio or program. This means that teams working with shared sprints will share the sprint dates and goal, but still can define their own sprint scope relevant for the team. Under the administration settings, sharing sprints across projects can be enabled or disabled. Projects can also be configured to only receive shared sprints.

Versions and sprints

Soon, you will be able to associate work packages with versions and sprints at the same time. An epic then can be planned for a release using the version field and can be planned for a certain sprint at the same time. In Q2 2026, we are also going to introduce an additional version field, “Observed in versions”, which — in addition to the version that defines the release version — allows you to track the versions in which a bug occurred.

Kanban boards

In case you prefer to work using Kanban methodology, you will of course have a possibility to create Kanban boards, also multi-project Kanban boards, including all the new functionalities described in the article, like swimlanes, work-in-progress limits, filters, saved views. etc.

Global Backlog module for SAFe organizations

The planned global Backlog module will help enterprises to manage big agile portfolios. Especially for SAFe organizations, this might be the go-to place for navigation between sprints and board. Among others, you will also have a possibility to filter for the PI (Product Increment) scope or for all dependencies across the whole portfolio.

And all that is coming to OpenProject in 2026!

These concepts are all part of our ongoing design exploration to improve agile workflows in OpenProject. While not all elements are part of the product yet, they represent the direction we are exploring to better support teams working with Scrum, Kanban or SAFe.

We’re continuing to refine these ideas and look forward to sharing future updates as the designs evolve. In case you would like to provide your feedback on those prototypes, please feel free to comment on the work packages within our roadmap. We would love to hear from you!

Stay tuned for our future agile releases!

Making project collaboration possible wherever work happens has always been an important goal for OpenProject. Many teams do not work exclusively at their desks. They need to work on construction sites, in meetings, traveling, or simply away from their primary workstation.

With the OpenProject Mobile app, we aim to support these scenarios by enabling teams to stay connected to their projects directly from their mobile devices.

The mobile app is currently available as a beta version and continues to evolve as we refine the experience and expand its capabilities. While it already supports many important workflows for working on the go, it is still a work in progress. Our product team is continuously improving features, usability, and performance based on feedback from the OpenProject Community.

Recent improvements also ensure that the app works smoothly on tablets, offering a more flexible way to interact with OpenProject across different device types.

In this article, we want to share where the mobile app stands today and what you can already do with it.

Supporting project work on the go

The OpenProject Mobile app is designed as a companion to the web experience. Instead of replicating the full desktop interface, the mobile app focuses on the most important interactions users need while away from their desks.

With the mobile app, you can:

• Browse projects and work packages
• Update details such as status, priority, or assignee
• Write comments and collaborate with team members
• Track and log work time
• Have a centralised and personal dashboard
• Receive and react to notifications about comments, mentions, and work package changes

These capabilities allow teams to quickly respond to changes, update tasks, and keep collaboration moving, even when they are not using their primary workstation.

Manage work packages directly from your phone

Work packages are at the center of collaboration in OpenProject, and the mobile app makes them easily accessible while on the move. Within the app, you can view and update work packages across projects and interact with tasks just as you would expect in day-to-day project work.

Users can:

• Change attributes such as status, assignee, or priority
• Comment on work packages and mention colleagues
• Upload attachments directly from their device
• Manage watchers and task relations
• Work packages index page in the OpenProject mobile app
• Work package details on the overview tab in the OpenProject mobile app

Designed for mobile workflows

Mobile devices come with their own strengths, and the OpenProject Mobile app takes advantage of them to support quick and simple interactions. Some features are specifically optimized for mobile usage, including:

• Quick work package creation through a simplified interface
• Direct photo and video capture and uploads from the device camera
• Touch-friendly navigation optimized for smaller screens
• Local notifications to stay informed about project updates
• Focus-mode timers to track time spent on tasks

Overview of projects and tasks

The mobile app also provides an easy way to explore projects and stay informed about ongoing work.

Users can browse projects, portfolios, and programs, view project details, and navigate to related work packages. Together with the personal home screen and notification center, this gives users a quick overview of work packages and updates that require their attention.

Expanding the experience across devices

While the mobile app was initially designed for smartphones, many users rely on tablets for meetings, workshops, or on-site work.

Recent improvements ensure that the app adapts well to tablet devices, offering a more comfortable layout and better use of larger screens. This allows teams to review work packages and projects in split screens and collaborate more easily during discussions or presentations.

As development continues, improving the multi-device experience remains an important focus area.

A growing part of the OpenProject ecosystem

The OpenProject Mobile app is available for iOS and Android and connects directly to your OpenProject instance. As a beta product, it continues to evolve alongside the rest of the platform.

Our team is currently working on further improvements such as:

• Real-time push notifications
• Deep linking to work packages and projects
• Additional collaboration capabilities
• New modules of the app, like meetings or wikis, coming to mobile
• Continuous usability and performance improvements

Each iteration brings the mobile experience closer to the flexibility teams expect when managing projects across different environments.

Try it and share your feedback

Because the mobile app is still in beta, feedback from the OpenProject Community plays an important role in shaping its future.

If you are already using OpenProject, we encourage you to try the mobile app and explore how it supports your workflows on the go. Your feedback helps us identify improvements, prioritize new features, and continue refining the experience.

We look forward to hearing how you use the mobile app in your daily project work. Here is how you can get in touch.