MoSCoW Prioritization Calculator

Use MoSCoW in ProductLift

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Enter a feature name and select its priority category.

What is MoSCoW?

MoSCoW is a prioritization technique that categorizes requirements:

  • Must: Critical for success
  • Should: Important but not vital
  • Could: Nice to have
  • Won't: Not this time
Must Have (0)

Critical requirements - project fails without these

Should Have (0)

Important but can work around if needed

Could Have (0)

Desirable but not necessary

Won't Have (0)

Agreed to not do this time

Other Prioritization Methods

RICE Calculator ICE Calculator WSJF Calculator Kano Model Opportunity Scoring
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Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use MoSCoW prioritization? ▼
MoSCoW works best for timeboxed projects where you need to quickly categorize what's essential vs. optional. It's commonly used in Agile sprints, MVP planning, and when you need stakeholder alignment on priorities without complex scoring.
How is MoSCoW different from RICE? ▼
MoSCoW is categorical (4 buckets) while RICE is numerical (scores). MoSCoW is faster and more intuitive but less precise. Use MoSCoW for quick decisions and stakeholder discussions; use RICE when you need data-driven prioritization with clear rankings.
What percentage should each category have? ▼
A common guideline: Must Have should be around 60% of effort, Should Have about 20%, and Could Have the remaining 20%. Won't Have items are explicitly out of scope. If everything is a "Must Have," you need to reassess priorities.
Who created MoSCoW? ▼
MoSCoW was developed by Dai Clegg at Oracle in 1994 and later refined as part of the Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM). It's now widely used across Agile methodologies and project management.
What's the difference between "Could Have" and "Won't Have"? ▼
"Could Have" items might get done if time permits - they're desirable nice-to-haves. "Won't Have" items are explicitly agreed to NOT be done in this iteration, though they might be considered for future releases. The distinction helps manage expectations.

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