MoSCoW
A stitch in time saves nine!
The main problem with this obsession for saving time is very simple: You cant save time. You can only spend it. But you can spend it wisely or foolishly. ~Benjamin Hoff
Life is busy and full; we are running around like headless chickens trying to do what is necessary each day.
These priorities can have consequences if we get them wrong; causing damage to careers, relationships, and contributing to an already stressful life.
So how do we prioritise what is necessary to do amid the endless to-do list?
Whether it’s been figuring out what to buy at the store or leading teams in complex change management projects throughout many cultural contexts; a straightforward formula I use is called MoSCoW
MoSCoW has been around for a while and is widely used in the tech sector, where it is crucial to prioritise tasks on multi-million dollar software projects.
Leading collaboratively and enabling each person to be part of a team that self identifies the priorities for the next twenty-four hours, five days, or one month, can make a noticeable difference to the bottom line.
MoSCoW has also crept into many other industries as managers and leaders understand that in the digital age, where efficiency is of the essence in a knowledge-driven economy.
So, how does it work?
The good news is that it is very straightforward.
When identifying a list of tasks run them through the following formula:
Must do
Should do
Could
Won’t do
Let’s take a simple example.
Mary needs to catch the train for a job interview in the morning, and she wrote down all the critical stages of the process;
- Gets out of Bed
- Has a shower
- Breakfast
- Brush teeth
- Get dressed
- Walk to station
- Buy coffee at the station
- Get on train
Let’s say she must get out of Bed, could shower, could have breakfast, could brush teeth, must get dressed, must walk to the station, won’t buy coffee at the station, and must get on the train.
From this simple process, Mary can then plan her morning more concisely.
This method could be applied to nearly any decision we have to make in our lives.
MoSCoW has been useful for me when planning to go to the store for groceries — to — starting a new business — to — moving continents — to — changing careers — to — ensuring employees concentrate on the things that are most important for a companies success — to — planning a family meal.
Indeed this simple formula of MoSCoW has the power to transform how you live your life!
