MoSCoW
Origin
The method was developed by Dai Clegg at Oracle in the 1990s in the context of DSDM, the Dynamic Systems Development Method. Today it is used independently of DSDM in all kinds of agile projects.
The four levels
Must have — essential
A critical requirement that must be implemented for the system to have value. Without it, the project cannot be considered a success. The "what happens if it's missing?" test applies: if the answer is "the system is useless or illegal," it is a Must have.
Should have — recommended
An important but non-critical requirement. The system can work without it, but its absence significantly reduces the value. It is usually the natural candidate for the next release if it does not make it into the current one.
Could have — desirable
A requirement that would add value but has a smaller impact. It is included if there is time and capacity; it is dropped under pressure. These are the first to go when the scope has to be reduced.
Won't have — outside the current scope
A requirement that will not be implemented in this release but could be considered in the future. Making this level explicit prevents misunderstandings: the customer knows what they will not receive and when they might receive it.
How to apply it
- List all the features, epics, or stories to be prioritized.
- As a team, discuss and agree on the category of each item. It is advisable to start with the Must haves: if everything is a Must have, the project is not viable as currently framed.
- Check that the Must haves do not exceed 60% of the available capacity: the rest must remain flexible to absorb the unexpected.
- Use the result to plan the release or the sprint.
Common mistake
Making everything a Must have. When the team or the customer marks everything as essential, MoSCoW stops being a prioritization method and becomes an undifferentiated wish list. Rigorously applying the "what happens if it's not there?" test usually reveals that many "Must haves" are actually "Should haves." The facilitator must help the team make that distinction honestly.
Resources
🔧 MoSCoWTool · Scrum Manager
📄 Product Owner v.2.0Free download · Scrum Manager · in Spanish
See also
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