Introduction

In agile development, the team backlog is a prioritized list of tasks that the team will work on in the upcoming sprint. Prioritizing tasks in the team backlog is crucial for ensuring that the team is working on the most important tasks first and maximizing the value delivered to stakeholders.

There are various methods for prioritizing tasks in the team backlog, but two of the most popular ones are the MoSCoW method and the Value/Effort matrix. In this article, we’ll explore these methods in detail and provide guidance on how to effectively use them to prioritize tasks in the team backlog.

MoSCoW Method

The MoSCoW method is a popular prioritization technique that is often used in agile development. The method involves categorizing tasks into four categories:

Must have 

Tasks that are critical and must be completed in order to meet the project objectives

• Develop the core product functionality: This includes the features that are essential for the product to function as intended and meet customer needs. For example, if the product is a mobile app for booking flights, developing the feature to search for and book flights would be a must-have task.
• Perform quality assurance testing: Quality assurance testing is essential to ensure that the product works as expected and meets customer requirements. This includes testing for bugs, performance issues, and user experience.
• Meet legal and regulatory requirements: Depending on the industry and product, there may be legal and regulatory requirements that must be met in order to release the product to market. These requirements can include data privacy, security, and accessibility.
• Launch the product on schedule: Meeting the launch deadline is critical for the success of the project. This includes completing all necessary tasks and ensuring that the product is stable and ready for release.
• Hire key personnel for the project: Having the right team in place is essential for the success of the project. This includes hiring key personnel such as developers, designers, and project managers.

Should have 

Tasks that are important but not critical, and can be deferred if necessary

• Enhance the user interface design: While not critical, a good user interface design can improve user experience and increase customer satisfaction. This can include improving the layout, typography, and color scheme of the product.
• Improve performance of the product: Improving the performance of the product can lead to faster load times, better response times, and an overall better user experience.
• Add additional product features: Adding new features can enhance the product and make it more appealing to customers. This can include adding features that competitors offer or features that are frequently requested by customers.
• Develop training materials for users: Providing training materials for users can help them understand how to use the product and increase adoption rates.
• Perform additional user testing: While not critical, additional user testing can provide valuable feedback on the product and identify areas for improvement.

Could have

Tasks that would be nice to have, but are not essential

• Develop mobile application versions of the product: Developing mobile application versions of the product can increase accessibility for customers who prefer to use mobile devices.
• Add social media integration to the product: Adding social media integration can increase the product’s reach and allow customers to share their experience with others.
• Implement advanced analytics features: Implementing advanced analytics features can provide valuable insights into customer behavior and improve decision-making.
• Develop integrations with third-party tools: Developing integrations with third-party tools can increase the functionality of the product and make it more appealing to customers.
• Translate the product into multiple languages: Translating the product into multiple languages can increase accessibility for customers in different regions.

Won’t have 

Tasks that are not a priority and can be deferred indefinitely

• Develop a feature for a niche market that has limited potential: Developing a feature for a niche market that has limited potential may not be worth the investment and can distract from more critical tasks.
• Invest in extensive marketing campaigns: While marketing is important, investing in extensive marketing campaigns may not be a priority in the early stages of the project.
• Implement a new project management tool for the team: Implementing a new project management tool for the team may not be necessary if the current tools are sufficient.
• Develop additional non-core product features: Developing additional non-core product features may not be necessary and can distract from more critical tasks.
• Perform additional market research on potential customer segments: While market research is important, performing additional market research on potential customer segments may not be a priority in the early stages of the project.

To apply the MoSCoW method to prioritize tasks in the team backlog, the team should first identify the project objectives and then categorize each task based on its importance in meeting those objectives.

The team should focus on completing the “must have” tasks first, followed by the “should have” tasks. The “could have” and “won’t have” tasks can be deferred if necessary.

Advantage of Using MoSC0W

One advantage of using the MoSCoW method is that it provides a simple and intuitive way to prioritize tasks based on their importance. However, one disadvantage is that it does not take into account the effort required to complete each task.

To address this issue, teams can combine the MoSCoW method with other prioritization techniques, such as the Value/Effort matrix, which we’ll discuss next.

Value/Effort Matrix

The Value/Effort matrix is another popular prioritization technique that can be used in conjunction with the MoSCoW method. This technique involves categorizing tasks based on their value and effort required to complete them.

To create a Value/Effort matrix, the team should first estimate the effort required to complete each task and then determine the potential value that each task would deliver to stakeholders. The team can then plot each task on a two-dimensional matrix, with value on the y-axis and effort on the x-axis.

Tasks that are high value and low effort should be prioritized first, followed by tasks that are high value but require more effort. Tasks that are low value but require low effort can be deprioritized, while tasks that are low value and require high effort should be eliminated if possible.

Let’s consider an example of a software development team working on a new feature for their product.

The team has identified several tasks that need to be completed in order to deliver this feature, and they have estimated the effort required for each task on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being very low effort and 10 being very high effort). They have also identified the potential value that each task would deliver to their stakeholders on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being very low value and 10 being very high value).

Here’s a table showing the tasks and their estimated effort and potential value:

Task	Effort	Potential Value
A	3	8
B	7	5
C	5	9
D	2	3
E	9	7

 

Using this information, the team can plot each task on a two-dimensional matrix, with value on the y-axis and effort on the x-axis.

Advantage of Value/ Effort matrix

One advantage of the Value/Effort matrix is that it takes into account both the importance of tasks and the effort required to complete them. However, it can be more complex than the MoSCoW method and requires more effort to implement.

Tips for Effective Task Prioritization

Regardless of the prioritization technique used, there are some general tips that can help teams effectively prioritize tasks in the backlog:

1. Involve stakeholders: Ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the prioritization process, as they may have different perspectives on the importance of tasks.
2. Regularly review and update the backlog: The backlog should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it accurately reflects the team’s priorities and the changing needs of stakeholders.
3. Consider dependencies: Tasks that are dependent on other tasks should be prioritized accordingly, as completing dependent tasks may unlock value for other tasks.
4. Be realistic about capacity: Teams should be realistic about their capacity and only commit to completing tasks that they have the resources and time to complete.
5. Use data and analytics: Teams can use data and analytics to inform their prioritization decisions, such as by measuring the impact of completed tasks or the amount of effort required to complete certain types of tasks.

Prakya can help teams with some of these tips by providing visibility into stakeholder feedback, automating the process of regularly reviewing and updating the backlog, and providing analytics and data insights to inform prioritization decisions.

Conclusion

Prioritizing tasks in the team backlog is crucial to ensure that the team is working on the most important tasks first and delivering value to stakeholders. The MoSCoW method and the Value/Effort matrix are two popular prioritization techniques that can help teams prioritize tasks based on their importance and effort required. However, regardless of the technique used, teams should involve stakeholders, regularly review and update the backlog, consider dependencies, be realistic about capacity, and use data and analytics to inform their decisions.

By using these techniques and tips, teams can ensure that they are delivering value to stakeholders and maximizing their productivity.

Common Techniques and Tips for Agile Teams to Prioritize Tasks in Team Backlogs