THE STARTING POINT
Make the reasoning behind a first phase visible to stakeholders.
Write comparable change items.
Describe the problem, affected users and expected change for each item. Include known dependencies and unresolved questions. A backlog containing both large ambitions and tiny tasks is difficult to compare, so clarify the scope before deciding which items should be addressed first.
Discuss the tradeoffs.
Consider business importance, implementation effort and the support needed to operate the change. Include work that makes later phases possible, even when it is less visible. Record the reasoning so the team can revisit a priority when a dependency or requirement changes.
Choose a review point.
Agree what the first phase will produce and who will review it. Set a point for considering the next set of items using what has been learned. Treat the initial priority order as a planning decision rather than a promise that every future phase is already fixed.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Your discovery checklist
- Describe each item’s users, problem and dependencies.
- Record business needs and operating-effort tradeoffs.
- Choose a milestone for revisiting the next phase.