PRIORITIZATION TECHNIQUE

For use on the Program level, as well as detailed project requirements

A requirement designation of MANDATORY renders the prioritization scheme moot. MANDATORY

classification requires sponsor authorization.

INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS

For individual projects, [stakeholders / key stakeholders1] should choose a value from each classification
type for each requirement.

1- Wouldn’t write home about it

Value potential
(how much potential benefit can the fulfillment of
the requirement bring)
Severity
(how much potential harm is caused if the
requirement is not met)
Urgency
(to be of value, how quickly does the requirement
need to be met)
Complexity
(what is the likelihood of success/failure due to
risk caused by complexity?)
5- It’d be nice
8- Would be a big help
10- We’ll all get raises for this
1- Not a big deal
5- My job will be a little harder without it
8- We can live without, but it won’t be easy
10- Basic business functionality is broken without
1- I need it eventually
5- Need it by the end of the next phase
8- Need it by the end of this phase
10- Need it yesterday
1- Something will go wrong
5- Decent chance that something will go wrong
8- Low risk
10- No worries

The project sponsor, PM, and/or executive team will assign Weighting values to each classification type
for each project. For example, a project management team may see a need for a project’s urgent
requirements to be handled first, or because a more experienced PM has been assigned, the complex
requirements are not as much as a deterrent.

Weighting Assignment Example:

Value Potential = x5

Severity = x5

Urgency = x8

Complexity = x1

Each weighted classification will then be added together to produce a requirement’s prioritization score,
and all stakeholders’ scores can be amalgamated.

1
Depending on who shall be given the opportunity to vote on requirements, the impact of the stakeholder’s
opinion could be weighted as well. Stakeholders, key stakeholders, the sponsor, etc., could varying impact.
So for instance, assume we have a project for which a requirement of an eSigning solution has been
identified. The Clinical SME on the project classifies the requirement in the following manner:

Value Potential = 10 – We’ll all get raises for this

Severity = 8 – We can live without, but it’s not easy

Urgency = 8 – Need it by the end of this phase

Complexity = 8 – Low risk

The project management team knows that half of its technical resources are going on vacation in a
month, so they want to tackle the most urgent, least complicated requirements for the first phase. Thus,
they weight the classification types like so:

Weighting Assignment:

Value Potential = x3

Severity = x3

Urgency = x8

Complexity = x8

With these weighting values, simpler, more pressing requirements will significantly boost the
requirement’s final prioritization score, and thus it will be more likely to be attacked first.

The formula for determining a single requirement’s value is:

(VP Score x VP Weight) + (S Score x S Weight) + (U Score x U Weight) + (C Score x C Weight)

In the example above, the Clinical SME’s prioritization score for the requirement comes out to be:

(10 x 3) + (8 x 3) + (8 x 8) + (8 x 8) = 182

PROGRAM / PORTFOLIO LEVEL – PROJECT PRIORITIZATION

The same basic methodology can be applied to projects overall. A project’s value potential, severity,
urgency, and complexity are all voted upon, and weight values can be applied on the program level.