Session Brief: WSJF

Goal

Artifact: Ranked Backlog

Working Question

Which item delivers the highest Cost-of-Delay value per effort and should be pulled next?

Context

List of items with description; current PI or quarterly goals; known deadlines and compliance requirements; dependencies between items; experience values for comparable items.

Setup

• Format: Method session
• Duration: 45-90 min
• Mode: Workshop
• Participants: One Product Manager or Product Owner as owner; architect or tech lead for risk and size estimation; 2-5 business stakeholders for value estimation; facilitator (often RTE or Scrum Master).
• Owner: One Product Manager or Product Owner as owner
• Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
• Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Ranked Backlog. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Table with columns Item, Business Value, Time Criticality, Risk Reduction/Opportunity Enablement, Job Size, WSJF Score; Fibonacci scale cards (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20); collaborative tool (Planning Poker, Notion, Sheets).

Preparation

Set up table. Explain Fibonacci scale for relative estimation (no absolute value, always relative to each other). Make definition per factor visible. Define smallest item as 1-reference per factor.

Agenda

1. Section 1: Choose reference item (10 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: For each of the three CoD factors (Business Value, Time Criticality, Risk Reduction / Opportunity Enablement) and for Job Size, define the smallest item as 1-reference. All others are estimated relative to it. Hint: Without reference there is no anchor. Estimates without reference become gut values and produce no relative statement. Output: Ranked Backlog

2. Section 2: Estimate Business Value relatively (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Per item: how much business value (revenue, cost savings, strategic value) compared with the reference item? Fibonacci scale. In case of disagreement, short discussion and re-vote (Planning Poker). Hint: Value is economic or strategic, not personal enthusiasm. If stakeholders vote 20 without rationale, ask for quantitative support. Output: Cost-of-Delay Assumptions

3. Section 3: Time Criticality and RR/OE (15-20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Time Criticality: how quickly does the value lose impact (window, competition, deadlines)? RR/OE: how much risk does the item reduce or opportunity enable? Both relative to reference, Fibonacci. Hint: Time Criticality is often misused for "important to me". Be strict: what would be the effect if the item came 3 months later? Output: Ranked Backlog

4. Section 4: Estimate Job Size (10-15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Estimate Job Size per item in Fibonacci relative to the smallest one. Engineering representatives estimate. Sizes 20+ indicate that the item should be split. Hint: Job Size includes all effort (engineering, design, QA, rollout). If size is unclear, split item or plan a spike before inclusion. Output: Cost-of-Delay Assumptions

5. Section 5: Score and sequence (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Formula: WSJF = (Business Value + Time Criticality + RR/OE) / Job Size. Sort in table. Fix top items in pull order. Hint: WSJF gives sequence, not guarantee. Difficult sequences with dependencies need manual correction (for example if item A is technically required before B). Output: Ranked Backlog

6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Ranked Backlog

Closeout

• Update result artifact: Ranked Backlog
• Define location, version, and review recipients.
• Define owner, next step, and review date.

Ranked Backlog: WSJF

Working Question

Which item delivers the highest Cost-of-Delay value per effort and should be pulled next?

Context

List of items with description; current PI or quarterly goals; known deadlines and compliance requirements; dependencies between items; experience values for comparable items.

Participants

• Owner: One Product Manager or Product Owner as owner
• Participants: One Product Manager or Product Owner as owner; architect or tech lead for risk and size estimation; 2-5 business stakeholders for value estimation; facilitator (often RTE or Scrum Master).

Input

Table with columns Item, Business Value, Time Criticality, Risk Reduction/Opportunity Enablement, Job Size, WSJF Score; Fibonacci scale cards (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 20); collaborative tool (Planning Poker, Notion, Sheets).

Template

WSJF Working Template

Goal

Sequences work using Cost of Delay divided by Job Size.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

• Ranked Backlog:
• Cost-of-Delay Assumptions:

Assumptions and open questions

• ...

Decision / Next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

• Ranked Backlog is complete enough for review:
• Location:
• Version / status:
• Review by:
• Next step:

Next Step

• Review result
• Mark open questions
• Schedule review or decision