Prioritisation and dependencies
Sequence work according to outcome, risk, dependency and delay impact.
Covered in this guide
- Define the outcome and deadline.
- Map dependencies and consequences of delay.
- Separate urgency from noise.
Priority is not determined by who asks most forcefully. A defensible sequence considers impact, time sensitivity, dependencies, reversibility and the cost of interrupting current work.
Order by consequence, not by who asked last
Priority is not determined by who asks most forcefully. A defensible sequence considers impact, time sensitivity, dependencies, reversibility and the cost of interrupting current work.
A backlog driven by the loudest request
A team has a public accessibility defect, an internal formatting request and a routine report due tomorrow. The defect prevents keyboard users from completing registration.
Try this
Recommend a sequence and state the reasoning.
Review answer guidance
Address or contain the accessibility barrier first because it blocks access and may affect current users. Preserve the report deadline through reassignment if possible, and schedule the formatting request after consequential work.
How priority items are built
Compare deadline, impact, dependency and reversibility. The first action is the one that unblocks or prevents the largest harm.