RANIARANIA Academy

Prioritisation Techniques for Product Backlogs

Move backlog ordering away from "who shouted loudest" and towards value and cost of delay. Learn MoSCoW, the Kano model and Weighted Shortest Job First, and build a scoring sheet that makes your order transparent and defensible.

Watch the free preview

Why "who shouted loudest" is a broken way to order a backlog — free to watch, no account needed.

Agile Requirements INTERMEDIATE · 120 min · Certificate on completion · 3 CPD points

What you'll learn

  • Explain why value and cost of delay beat seniority and volume as ordering criteria
  • Apply MoSCoW to agree scope commitments without inflating every item to Must
  • Classify backlog items with the Kano model into basic, performance and delighter needs
  • Calculate Weighted Shortest Job First to order competing high-value items defensibly
  • Build a prioritisation scoring sheet that makes the backlog order transparent

Syllabus

The Prioritisation Problem and the Value Lens
Why "who shouted loudest" is a broken way to order a backlogFree preview15 min
Value and cost of delay — the economics under every technique15 min
The Core Techniques in Depth
MoSCoW and Kano: agreeing scope and understanding needs15 min
Weighted Shortest Job First: ordering competing high-value items15 min
Applying the Techniques to Real IT Work
Running a prioritisation session on a contested backlog15 min
Case study — three stakeholders who each insist theirs is first15 min
Making Prioritisation Stick
Building your prioritisation scoring sheet step by step15 min
Traps and anti-patterns in backlog prioritisation15 min