Prioritisation Techniques in Scrum

MoSCoW Method

A prioritization technique that categorizes items into Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, and Won't Have.

Must Have

Items that are non-negotiable and act as sprint blockers.

Should Have

Important items that are not critical but necessary.

Could Have

Items that are nice to have but not essential.

Won't Have (this time)

Items that are explicitly deferred for future consideration.

WSJF – Weighted Shortest Job First

A prioritization method calculated as Priority = Cost of Delay ÷ Job Duration.

Cost of Delay

The economic impact that results from delaying the delivery of a job.

Job Duration

The time it takes to complete a job or task.

Kano Model

A technique that classifies features by their impact on customer satisfaction.

Basic needs

Features that are expected and do not delight users if present.

Performance needs

Features for which more availability increases user satisfaction.

Delighters

Unexpected features that can pleasantly surprise and wow users.

Value vs. Effort Matrix

A 2x2 grid that helps prioritize tasks based on their value and the effort required.

Quick Wins

Tasks that provide significant value for a low amount of effort.

Story Mapping

A technique that organizes user stories in a horizontal user journey and stacks by priority.

MVP

Minimum Viable Product; the top slice of prioritized user stories in story mapping.

100-Point Method

A prioritization technique where stakeholders distribute 100 points across backlog items.

Cumulative Voting

A method to aggregate stakeholder scores to determine item priority.

RICE Scoring

A scoring system calculated as Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort.

Reach

The number of customers or users impacted by a feature or task.

Impact

The effect that a feature will have on the customer or the business.

Confidence

The degree of certainty about the reach and impact predictions.

Effort

The total work required to implement a feature or task.