Requirements Prioritization

Purpose

Prioritize requirements using MoSCoW (Must/Should/Could/Won't) or other frameworks to define MVP scope, guide implementation order, and make resource allocation decisions.

When to Use

• Defining MVP scope
• Sprint planning
• Scope negotiation
• Resource constraints
• Timeline pressure

Prerequisites

• Requirements complete and classified
• Stakeholder input available
• Business value understood
• Dependencies mapped

Process

Step 1: Apply MoSCoW Framework

Categories:
MUST HAVE: Core functionality, MVP-critical
- Without these, system doesn't work
- Regulatory/compliance requirements
- Core user journey enablers

SHOULD HAVE: Important but not critical
- Significant value but workarounds exist
- Important for user experience
- Expected by most users

COULD HAVE: Nice to have
- Enhances experience
- Not critical for launch
- Can be deferred

WON'T HAVE (this release): Out of scope
- Future consideration
- Low value/high effort
- Not aligned with current goals

Step 2: Gather Prioritization Inputs

Consider factors:
- Business value (revenue, users)
- User impact (how many affected)
- Technical risk (complexity)
- Dependencies (enables other features)
- Compliance (legal requirements)
- Competitive advantage
- Stakeholder requests

Step 3: Score Each Requirement

Scoring matrix:
- Business Value: 1-5
- User Impact: 1-5
- Implementation Risk: 1-5 (inverted - lower is better)
- Dependency Score: +2 if enables others

Priority Score = (Value × 2) + (Impact × 2) - Risk + Dependency

Step 4: Assign MoSCoW Category

Based on scores:
- Score > 15: MUST
- Score 10-15: SHOULD
- Score 5-10: COULD
- Score < 5: WON'T

Step 5: Validate and Adjust

Validation checks:
- MUST items fit in MVP timeline
- Dependencies respected
- Stakeholder agreement
- Technical feasibility
- No must have > 40% of scope

Inputs

Input	Type	Required	Description
requirements_spec	Markdown	Yes	All requirements
stakeholder_priorities	JSON	Optional	Business priorities
technical_assessment	JSON	Optional	Feasibility input

Outputs

Output	Type	Description
prioritized_requirements.md	Markdown	MoSCoW sorted list
mvp_scope.md	Markdown	Must-have items
priority_matrix.json	JSON	Detailed scoring

StudyAbroad-Specific Considerations

• Authentication is always MUST (blocks other features)
• GDPR compliance is MUST (legal requirement)
• University search is MUST (core value prop)
• Advanced analytics is COULD/WON'T for MVP
• Dark mode is WON'T for initial release

Integration Points

• Orchestrator: Priority queue input
• BMAD PM: Priority discussions
• Ralph Wiggum: Autonomous priority re-evaluation loops
• Architecture Agent: Dependency impact

Examples

Prioritized Requirements - StudyAbroad-v1

MUST HAVE (MVP Critical):
├─ REQ-001: User registration/authentication
├─ REQ-002: User profile management
├─ REQ-003: University search
├─ REQ-004: Application submission
├─ REQ-005: Document upload
├─ REQ-006: Application tracking
├─ REQ-010: GDPR consent management
├─ REQ-011: Data export (GDPR)
└─ REQ-012: Account deletion (GDPR)

SHOULD HAVE (High Value):
├─ REQ-007: University recommendations
├─ REQ-008: Application deadline reminders
├─ REQ-009: Email notifications
├─ REQ-015: Advisor portal
└─ REQ-016: Application analytics

COULD HAVE (Nice to Have):
├─ REQ-020: Social sharing
├─ REQ-021: Student testimonials
├─ REQ-022: Chat with advisors
└─ REQ-023: Mobile app push notifications

WON'T HAVE (Future):
├─ REQ-030: AI program matching
├─ REQ-031: Visa application tracking
├─ REQ-032: Housing marketplace
└─ REQ-033: Currency converter

Validation

• All requirements prioritized
• MoSCoW categories balanced
• Dependencies don't conflict with priorities
• Stakeholder sign-off obtained
• MVP scope is achievable