As a rule, the daily routine includes a bunch of tasks. Ideally, we’ll have enough time and energy to cover all of them – but it just might happen that the number of tasks is immense and the resources available are not in abundance. That’s where prioritization comes in.
MoSCoW technique makes the best of prioritization which helps to prioritise tasks based on their value or relevance. If you’re building a house, for example, you’re not likely to start with the roof or walls until the foundation is complete. In fact, in the web development sector, things are considerably more complicated, and this example cannot fully convey the importance of setting priorities.
Many companies use prioritizing techniques for complex projects and numerous startups make use of advanced prioritisation techniques. These prioritizing techniques consist of frameworks known for specific requirements or rules that improve decision-making.
Prioritization success typically affects the company’s overall performance. Getting caught up in unfinished and outstanding tasks is a surefire way to fail. That is why companies pay close attention to the strategies of priority they employ.
MoSCoW Prioritization
MoSCoW is one of the best prioritization frameworks created by Dai Clegg. MoSCoW word is “acronym”. It is a prioritization technique is used to detect the value of each requirement and identify the functionality that will bring the most value/low value. Focuses on what’s more important and categories the requirement into four parts which are as follows:
Must Have
- These are the requirement that must be delivered otherwise the project will be deemed a failure.
- The “must-have” category requires the team to complete a mandatory task.
Should Have
- High priority requirement that has a good ROI (Return on Investment).
- They occupy second place on the priority list.
Could have
- Desirable requirements are important but not mandatory.
- These are usually low-cost improvements for the product.
Won’t have
- Requirements which are not required at this time in projects.
- These are considered the least critical and may not correspond to the product strategy at all.
Real-Life Example
Prioritising Technique helps to prioritise tasks based on their value or relevance. For example, if I want to build a house we’re not likely to start with the roof or walls until the foundation is complete. So the
- foundation, cement, bricks, and window are must-have categories
- door made up of composite material, a modular kitchen etc are should have category requirement
- Items like T.V, Sofa is placed in is a could-have desirable requirement which is important but not mandatory to start
- won’t-have requirements which are considered the least critical in the first phase can be like solar panels, water fountain in the garden.
