A straightforward means of prioritising your User Stories

Introduction

By applying MoSCoW to your User Stories or task lists, you are able to begin the process of developing potential iterations in your build and prioritising what gets done and in what order.

In simple terms, simply prioritising things that MUST be done, over things that SHOULD be done, or COULD be done enables a key focus. Finally, identifying things that WONT be done begins the process of streamlining your product or service.

Remember, however, nothing is set in stone. Prioritisation is something that gets revisited frequently.

The Process

1. Gather all the User Stories created as part of the design process

2. Lay out all the User Stories on a table or wall. Refresh yourself and the team of the original problem or customer value your piece of work is designed to deliver. Review the business priorities, and any theme/initiatives that you are working under.

3. Use that insight to begin pulling out core/critical User stories – these are the stories that must be delivered as part of the first iteration to be able to create a releasable product. Use a Forced Ranking technique to prioritise these user stories. This list is your MUST column, label them as such

4. Review the remaining User Stories and identify value that would improve the first iteration whether in terms of appeal, business value or customer added value. Cluster these and again, use Forced Ranking to order them. This is your SHOULD column, label them as such.

5. Review the remaining User Stories and identify ones that you would like to include if there is time and money in terms of appeal, business value or customer added value. Cluster these and again, use Forced Ranking to order them. This is your COULD column, label them as such.

6. Review the remaining User Stories. In principle, these are all WONT do, but review them in case something there belongs in one of the other categories. There is no need to order these, as they will not be done.

7. Nothing is destroyed. Everything should be kept, including the WONT User Stories/Tasks, in case the priorities of the project change.