When every decision feels high-stakes and every resource is stretched thin, technology leaders are carrying more weight than ever before, tasked with moving fast, staying innovative, and delivering consistent value in a world full of uncertainty. But success isn’t just about cutting costs; it’s about making bold, strategic moves that keep teams focused, maintain work alignment, and reduce waste to keep value flowing. That’s where the right Value Stream Management (VSM) solution becomes a true game-changer. At a time when clarity and control are hard to come by, a powerful VSM platform gives you the visibility and agility you need to lead with confidence and turn uncertainty into opportunity.
With so many options on the market and so much riding on the outcome, choosing the right VSM solution can feel daunting. What matters most is finding a platform that goes beyond the superficial features—one that provides real-time insights, scales with your business, and supports both immediate resilience and long-term innovation.
That’s why Planview’s recognition as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Value Stream Management Solutions, Q2 2025 is worth your attention. Forrester rigorously evaluated 11 vendors across 21 criteria, and Planview received the highest scores possible in eight criteria, which we believe are the areas that matter most when navigating economic volatility.
Here are the most critical features to look for when choosing a VSM solution:
1. Robust, Extensible Data Model
At the heart of any powerful VSM platform lies a unified, extensible data model that allows organizations to manage work across complex, interconnected systems. A solution should offer a well-structured and scalable foundation that supports the modeling of key organizational components—such as people, processes, technologies, and business outcomes—right out of the box. This allows teams to quickly visualize how work flows and how value is created or delayed across the enterprise.
Beyond standard elements, the platform should allow for the creation of custom data entities that can be fully integrated into the system’s analytics, dashboards, and automation features. This flexibility is essential for adapting the platform to unique business needs. AI assistance that helps auto-generate or manage complex data relationships is a major advantage, especially in large organizations where maintaining accurate models manually would be time-consuming and error-prone. A robust data model ensures your VSM solution remains relevant and responsive as your organization evolves.
2. Comprehensive Toolchain Integration
Modern software delivery environments rely on a diverse ecosystem of tools—from product planning and design to development, testing, and deployment. A VSM solution must integrate deeply and seamlessly with this toolchain to provide end-to-end visibility. The best platforms offer a broad library of pre-built connectors for industry-standard tools like Jira, GitHub, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, Jenkins, and more.
However, integration capabilities shouldn’t stop at popular tools. Look for solutions that provide universal connectors and open APIs that can accommodate homegrown or lesser-known tools without costly custom development. AI-assisted integration builders can significantly reduce configuration time and help teams maintain agility as new tools are adopted or replaced. True value stream management starts with connected systems and the ability to orchestrate workflows, synchronize data, and ensure traceability across the entire delivery process.
3. Advanced, Actionable Analytics
Analytics are the engine that turns visibility into impact. The right VSM solution should provide advanced analytics that not only describe what’s happening but help you understand why it’s happening and what to do next. Core capabilities should include flow metrics, time-to-market analysis, throughput tracking, and bottleneck identification—all essential for optimizing delivery performance.
For even greater strategic value, look for platforms that offer predictive analytics, scenario modeling, and AI-based recommendations. These capabilities allow you to explore what-if scenarios, plan capacity based on forecasted demand, and evaluate the potential business impact of key decisions. Instead of relying on lagging indicators, advanced analytics help leaders proactively steer delivery, reduce waste, and ensure that technology investments are driving measurable business outcomes—even in a resource-constrained environment.
4. Intelligent Value Stream Mapping
Value stream mapping is a foundational practice in Lean and Agile organizations, helping teams identify inefficiencies, delays, and handoff problems. A modern VSM solution should provide intuitive tools for creating and customizing these maps—ideally through visual, drag-and-drop interfaces that make it easy to represent complex delivery workflows.
The ability to automate parts of the mapping process separates leading solutions from the rest. Platforms that offer automatic discovery of process flows and system interactions can dramatically reduce the time and effort needed to keep maps up to date. Some tools even use telemetry data from integrated systems to provide real-time insights into where work is stalling. Combined with clear visualizations, this allows leaders and teams to quickly zero in on areas of friction and make targeted improvements that increase flow and reduce cycle times.
5. Unified Tracking of Business and Technical Goals
It’s not enough to simply track output. You need to understand whether your delivery efforts are creating real business value. A best-in-class VSM platform bridges the gap between strategy and execution by enabling teams to set, monitor, and align both business and engineering objectives within a single system.
Look for solutions that support strategic goal frameworks like OKRs, NPS tracking, and planned vs. delivered outcomes. At the same time, the platform should enable teams to monitor technical metrics such as DORA benchmarks (deployment frequency, lead time for changes, MTTR, change failure rate), flow metrics, code quality, and team performance indicators. The ability to define custom KPIs—whether tied to customer experience, product delivery, or technical debt—adds even more value. This unified tracking ensures every team is contributing to the same outcomes, which is vital during times of economic uncertainty when misalignment leads to wasted effort and missed opportunities.
6. Forward-Looking Vision and Product Strategy
A VSM solution isn’t just a short-term tool—it’s a long-term investment in your organization’s ability to adapt, scale, and lead. That’s why it’s important to choose a vendor with a clear, forward-thinking product vision. Look for signs that the provider understands emerging trends and is actively working to shape the future of VSM through innovation and thought leadership.
This might include regular product updates, a transparent roadmap, early investment in AI and machine learning, or strong engagement with communities focused on Agile, DevOps, and digital transformation. A vendor’s ability to anticipate market needs and deliver future-ready capabilities is crucial for maintaining your competitive edge. Especially during periods of volatility, a strategic partner with vision can help you pivot faster, stay aligned with evolving customer demands, and maintain momentum even when circumstances change.
7. Reliable Services and Customer Success Support
Finally, don’t overlook the importance of vendor support and services. Even the most powerful platform will underdeliver without a strong foundation of onboarding, training, and customer success. Look for vendors that offer structured implementation services, strategic advisory support, and a clear path to adoption tailored to your organization’s maturity level.
Customer success should be more than reactive troubleshooting. It should be a proactive partnership that helps your teams unlock value quickly and continuously. Peer-reviewed feedback and customer testimonials can provide insight into how well a vendor supports real-world organizations post-purchase. Especially in resource-constrained times, a trusted partner that accelerates time to value and guides you through change management can make the difference between stagnation and sustained progress.
Turn Uncertainty into Opportunity: Invest in a VSM Platform That Accelerates Value
Economic uncertainty forces every organization to reassess where and how they invest. Choosing the right value stream management solution is both a technical and strategic decision. The platform you choose today will determine how resilient, efficient, and aligned your teams are tomorrow.
From a strong, extensible data model to deep analytics, seamless integrations, and a clear product vision, the most effective VSM solutions provide more than visibility—they enable action. They connect strategy to execution, empower continuous improvement, and help you focus every effort on what matters most: delivering customer value faster and more predictably.
Now is not the time for guesswork. It’s the time to choose a solution that can evolve with your business, support your teams, and help you navigate change with clarity and confidence. Evaluate carefully and invest in a platform that’s built not just for where you are—but for where you need to go.
We believe Planview’s position as a leader in The Forrester Wave™ reflects more than feature depth—it’s a signal that the platform delivers resilience, adaptability, and measurable impact when it matters most.
Access the report to read the full evaluation and see why Planview has been named a leader in the value stream management market.
Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here .
