WSJF Calculator - Prioritize Work with Weighted Shortest Job First

Fill in this form to get your WSJF score.

What is WSJF?

Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) is a way to prioritize tasks to get the most economic benefit. It's often used in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) for deciding the order of work items like features and projects.

WSJF Formula:

Business Value + Time Criticality + Risk Reduction
Job Size

Each component is scored from 1 to 10, where 1 is the lowest and 10 is the highest. A higher WSJF score means a higher priority.

Other Prioritization Methods

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I score each field? ▼
User-Business Value (1-10): Consider the relative value to the customer or business. 1 = Minimal value, 10 = Extremely high value.

Time Criticality (1-10): Assess how time-sensitive the job is. 1 = No urgency, 10 = Extremely urgent or time-critical.

Risk Reduction/Opportunity Enablement (1-10): Evaluate potential risk mitigation or new opportunities. 1 = Minimal impact, 10 = Significant risk reduction or opportunity creation.

Job Size (1-10): Estimate the relative effort or complexity. 1 = Very small or simple, 10 = Very large or complex. Note: This is in the denominator, so larger values decrease the WSJF score.
Why use WSJF? ▼
WSJF helps teams prioritize work by considering both the cost of delay and the job size. It ensures that high-value, time-critical, and smaller jobs are prioritized, potentially delivering more value to the business faster.
How do I interpret the WSJF score? ▼
A higher WSJF score indicates that a job should be prioritized. Compare WSJF scores across different jobs or features to determine their relative priority. The higher the score, the higher the priority.
Is WSJF only for software development? ▼
No, WSJF can be applied to various fields and industries. While it's commonly used in software development and IT projects, it can be valuable in any context where prioritizing work items is necessary.
How often should I recalculate WSJF scores? ▼
It's good practice to recalculate WSJF scores periodically, especially when there are significant changes in the business environment or project circumstances. Some teams do this as part of their regular sprint or PI planning.
Can WSJF be used alongside other prioritization methods? ▼
Yes, WSJF can be used in conjunction with other methods. For example, you might use WSJF to prioritize within a specific category of work that was identified using another method like MoSCoW or Kano.
What are some limitations of WSJF? ▼
WSJF relies on subjective scoring, which can introduce bias. It also doesn't account for dependencies between items. It's important to use WSJF as a guide rather than a strict rule, and to combine it with other considerations and expert judgment.
How can I ensure consistent scoring across a team? ▼
Consistent scoring can be achieved through team discussions, creating detailed rubrics for each parameter, and periodically calibrating scores as a group. Some teams use planning poker techniques to arrive at consensus scores.

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