The 5 best prioritization techniques for your Product Backlog

Prioritization Techniques (MoSCoW, WSJF, Kano Model, Eisenhower Matrix)

Whether you're working on an app, a website, or an internal business process, as a Product Owner or project manager, you can't avoid making choices. Which features do we tackle first, and which can wait? With effective prioritization techniques, you can make those decisions clear and well-reasoned.

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MoSCoW

• Must: Absolutely essential items for the first version.
• Should: Important, but can potentially be done later.
• Could: Nice to have if there's time.
• Won’t: Items you will not address in this release.

Ideal for quick assessments and clarity on what's truly essential.

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WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First)

• Combines value (Business Value), urgency (Time Criticality), risk reduction (Risk Reduction), and effort (Job Size).
• Formule: (BV + TC + RR) ÷ Size
• Prioritize items with the highest WSJF score.

WSJF is popular in frameworks like SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) and among teams seeking a data-driven approach.

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Kano Model

• Determine which features are Must-haves (Basic), which create delight (Exciters), and which are neutral.
• Helps you identify which items are truly indispensable and which create a 'wow' effect.

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Eisenhower Matrix

• Urgent / Important: Address immediately.
• Not urgent / Important: Schedule.
• Urgent / Not important: Delegate.
• Not urgent / Not important: Drop.

Although the matrix primarily focuses on personal productivity, you can also apply it to backlog management.

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How do you choose the right technique for your backlog?

One technique isn't necessarily better than another. It depends on:

• Organizational culture: Do stakeholders want quick, simple labels (MoSCoW) or prefer quantitative data (WSJF)?
• Complexity: With many variables (risk, cost, revenue), WSJF or the Kano model can provide more insight.
• Time Pressure: If you have little time, a simple prioritization method like MoSCoW or Eisenhower can work perfectly well.

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Practical Application of Prioritization Techniques in Scrum

During backlog refinement sessions or special prioritization meetings, you can decide with your team which items take precedence. The Product Owner often takes the lead here, but the entire team needs to understand why something has priority. This fosters support and understanding.

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Avoiding Common Prioritization Mistakes

• Not Using a Methodology: Everything is 'important' and the team doesn't know where to start.
• Overly Refined Scores: If you overdo it with numbers and complex formulas, everyone loses sight of the practical applicability.
• Ignoring Stakeholder Pressure: Even if the numbers indicate 'low', politics or customer interest can increase the priority.

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Examples and Scenarios

• MoSCoW for an MVP: You want a Minimum Viable Product in a short time. Put Must-haves at the top and defer everything from Could and Won't for later.
• WSJF for Complex Products: You have many features, each offering different benefits. In that case, it's useful to clearly factor in the (BV + TC + RR).
• Kano for redesigns: You want to know which improvements are truly necessary and which ones bring the 'wow factor'.

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Conclusion

Prioritization techniques help you have a productive discussion instead of getting bogged down in opinions. Whether you opt for MoSCoW, WSJF, Kano, or Eisenhower: the most important thing is that everyone understands why something is number one. This creates clarity, increases support, and allows you to work step-by-step on the most valuable items on your Product Backlog.

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