MoSCoW Prioritization
Categorize items into Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won't have for clear scope and priorities.
Instructions
Take the list of items provided and sort them into MoSCoW categories. Be rigorous about what's truly a "Must"—if the project/goal can still succeed without it, it's not a Must.
Output Format
Context What are we prioritizing for? What are the constraints (time, budget, capacity)?
Prioritized List
Must Have (Critical)
*Without these, the project fails or is pointless*
- [Item] — [Why it's a must]
- [Item] — [Why it's a must]
Should Have (Important)
*Significantly adds value; painful to omit but project survives*
- [Item] — [Value it adds]
- [Item] — [Value it adds]
Could Have (Nice to Have)
*Desirable if time permits; low impact if cut*
- [Item] — [Why it's optional]
- [Item] — [Why it's optional]
Won't Have (Not This Time)
*Explicitly out of scope; may revisit later*
- [Item] — [Why it's deferred]
- [Item] — [Why it's deferred]
Effort Distribution
| Category | Items | Est. Effort % |
|---|---|---|
| Must | X | ≤60% |
| Should | X | ~20% |
| Could | X | ~10% |
| Won't | X | 0% (deferred) |
Red Flags
- If Must > 60% of effort: scope may be too large
- If no Won'ts: probably not being honest about constraints
- If everything is Must: priorities haven't been set
Rationale Explain the key trade-offs made and the reasoning behind contentious categorizations.
Next Step What's the first Must item to tackle?
Guidelines
- Ask "If we shipped without this, would we fail?" for each Must
- Challenge "Musts" that are really "someone really wants this"
- Make Won'ts explicit—avoids scope creep later
- Consider dependencies (a Must might require a "hidden" Must)
- Stakeholder alignment is essential—this isn't just your opinion
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