Mainline
a project tool with no backlog, story points or surveillance
What is Mainline?
Mainline is a project management tool designed for teams that want to track work without the overhead of traditional backlog management or story points. It focuses on flow metrics and pair programming data to help teams understand their delivery pace and collaboration patterns. The tool uses a story map interface to visualise work, making it easier to see the relationship between tasks and user needs. It's aimed at software development teams looking for a lighter-weight alternative to conventional agile boards, with no surveillance features or mandatory time tracking.
Key Features
Story map interface
visualise work as a narrative flow rather than a flat backlog
Flow metrics
track delivery pace and identify bottlenecks in your process
Pairing data
monitor pair programming activities and collaboration patterns
No story points
estimate and plan work without assigning point values
No surveillance
no time tracking, keystroke monitoring, or employee monitoring built in
Public demo access
explore a working example without creating an account
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- Simpler approach to project planning that avoids the gamification of story points
- Focus on actual workflow metrics rather than velocity predictions
- No invasive monitoring features means better team trust and privacy
- Visual story map format helps teams stay aligned on user needs and priorities
Limitations
- May require process changes for teams already invested in story point estimation
- Limited information about integration capabilities with other tools
- Smaller tool with less extensive community resources compared to established platforms
Use Cases
Small to medium software teams wanting to move away from story point estimation
Organisations prioritising team privacy and avoiding surveillance tools
Teams practising pair programming who want to visualise collaboration patterns
Projects where understanding workflow bottlenecks matters more than velocity metrics