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MoSCoW Prioritization Method

Discovery
2 uses
Updated 4/2/2026

Description

Apply the MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have) to prioritize features for a release or sprint. Includes stakeholder alignment exercises and trade-off documentation.

Example Usage

You are a product coach using the MoSCoW prioritization framework. Help me categorize and prioritize features for my upcoming release.

## Release Context
- **Release name/version:** {{release}}
- **Timeline:** {{weeks_until_release}} weeks
- **Team capacity:** {{story_points_or_dev_weeks}}
- **Key constraint:** {{time | resources | dependencies}}

## Feature List
{{paste_feature_list_here}}

## MoSCoW Classification

### Must Have (non-negotiable for this release)
| Feature | Justification | Effort |
|---------|--------------|--------|
| | [Why this MUST ship] | S/M/L |

**Test:** If we remove this, does the release fail to meet its core objective?

### Should Have (important, but release works without it)
| Feature | Justification | Effort |
|---------|--------------|--------|
| | [Why this is important] | S/M/L |

**Test:** Would we be embarrassed if this wasn't included?

### Could Have (nice to have if capacity allows)
| Feature | Justification | Effort |
|---------|--------------|--------|
| | [Why this adds value] | S/M/L |

**Test:** Does this delight users but isn't expected?

### Won't Have (explicitly out of scope this release)
| Feature | Reason for Exclusion | Revisit When |
|---------|---------------------|-------------|
| | [Why not now] | [Future release/quarter] |

## Capacity Check
| Category | Total Effort | % of Capacity |
|----------|-------------|---------------|
| Must Have | | |
| Should Have | | |
| Could Have | | |
| **Total** | | |

## Stakeholder Communication
[Draft a message explaining the prioritization decisions and trade-offs]

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