Free prioritization tool
Turn “this feels important” into a visible tradeoff.
Score work using impact, urgency, confidence, and effort. The point is not mathematical truth; it is making the assumptions behind priority easier to discuss.
The formula
Priority score = (Impact × Urgency × Confidence) ÷ Effort. Use the same scale across candidate work, then compare relative scores. Never let a score override legal, safety, contractual, or truly fixed obligations.
- Impact asks how much useful change the work creates
- Urgency asks how costly delay is
- Confidence discounts guesses dressed up as plans
- Effort rewards high-value work that is cheaper to deliver
Prioritize, then limit what starts.
A perfect priority list still fails if the team starts ten “top priorities” at once.
Set a WIP starting point