PKPhillip Kuhn

Backlog prioritization workbench

Eight made-up backlog issues for a customer portal. Open an issue, adjust its scores and watch the backlog re-rank. Switch methods to see a different issue take first place.

How to use it: click an issue to open it on the right, then change its scores. Everything runs in your browser, and the data is made up.

Rank by

Why number 1 is number 1

What would flip number 1

BacklogHighest priority first
    How each method scores

    WSJF (weighted shortest job first) divides the cost of delay by the effort. Cost of delay is value, time criticality and risk reduction added together, each scored 1 to 10. It favors small, urgent work.

    RICE multiplies reach (people per quarter), impact and confidence, then divides by effort. It favors work that reaches many people with confidence.

    MoSCoW is a tag, not a score: Must, Should, Could or Won't. It never changes a score, but you can group by it.

    Neither method is the right answer. Each asks the data a different question. In practice the scores come from the team and the people who use the product, not from a formula. An effort below half a point is counted as half a point, so nothing divides by zero. Ties go to the smaller effort, then the higher value or reach, then the lower issue number.