# Prioritization Session Checklist

Use before and during prioritization sessions.

## Pre-Session (1 day before)

- [ ] Backlog cleaned and deduplicated
- [ ] Each item has clear description
- [ ] Effort estimates available
- [ ] Impact data gathered (analytics, research)
- [ ] Right stakeholders invited
- [ ] Scoring framework selected (RICE/ICE/WSJF)
- [ ] Previous priorities reviewed

## During Session

### Setup (10 min)
- [ ] Align on goal being prioritized for
- [ ] Confirm framework and scoring criteria
- [ ] Set time box (2 hours max)

### Scoring (60-90 min)
- [ ] Each item scored independently first
- [ ] Discuss outliers and disagreements
- [ ] Document rationale for scores
- [ ] Flag items needing more research

### Ranking (20 min)
- [ ] Sort by priority score
- [ ] Review top 10 for sanity check
- [ ] Identify dependencies
- [ ] Note items moved for strategic reasons

### Output (10 min)
- [ ] Top priorities documented
- [ ] Trade-offs recorded
- [ ] Human decisions flagged
- [ ] Next review date set

## Post-Session

- [ ] Priorities shared with team
- [ ] Roadmap updated
- [ ] Dependencies communicated
- [ ] Calendar reminder for re-prioritization

## Red Flags During Session

| Red Flag | Action |
|----------|--------|
| No data for estimates | Stop, gather research first |
| One voice dominating | Ensure equal input |
| Scope creep on items | Separate into distinct items |
| Gaming the scores | Recalibrate criteria |
| Too many "high priority" | Force ranking |

## Framework Selection Guide

| Situation | Recommended Framework |
|-----------|----------------------|
| Steady-state product work | RICE |
| Quick rough prioritization | ICE |
| Time-sensitive decisions | WSJF |
| Many stakeholders | MoSCoW |
| Portfolio-level | Kano + RICE |
