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Mock up your own must-see MoSCoW method example

Stay focused by identifying your project’s must-haves, should-haves, could-haves, and won’t-haves, then accomplish that project with endless strategic planning tools.

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four colorful squares each labeled by the letters M, S, C and W

MoSCoW method template

Invite stakeholders, supervisors, and collaborators to participate in an interactive MoSCoW requirements template.

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Prioritizing is a priority

Say goodbye to those “shoulda, coulda, woulda” regrets and keep your MoSCoW method agile.

Tackle your tasks: Categorize every important requirement in one place—then get cracking.

Manage your must-haves: Ensure everyone is on the same page about the non-negotiable aspects of your initiative.

Shrink your spending: Stay within budget with task prioritization features that align with your development costs.

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colorful rectangles labeled with the words must have, should have, could have and won't have

colorful rectangles labeled by the letters M, S, C and W with icons overlayed on top

FigJam
Plan projects with your people

When it comes to must-haves, there’s one can’t-miss: teamwork. When you pull up a MoSCoW template in a shared FigJam whiteboard, you can drag and drop ideas, augment your plan with widgets, and share feedback with anyone—whether they’re in Moscow, Manilla, or Melbourne.

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Conserve your all-important time and energy when you use a MoSCoW matrix template to organize your initiative. Discover more essential graphic organizers from our community.

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FAQs

The MoSCoW method—which is sometimes called the MoSCoW framework or MoSCoW analysis—is a graphic organizer that takes a four-pronged approach to prioritizing features and responsibilities. When you fill out a MoSCoW matrix, you’ll sort all your ideas into four distinct categories: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won’t-have.

The MoSCoW method was introduced by software developer Dai Clegg during his time at Oracle in the 1990s. Half word, half acronym, and all efficiency, MoSCoW is a handy visual tool that can help you and your project team focus on the right things.

Each step of the MoSCoW prioritization method involves slotting parts of a project into one of the following four categories:

Must-haves – Step one is to list the big-ticket items that dictate whether your project will succeed or fail. Think legal requirements, safety considerations, and non-negotiable features that make up the majority of a project.

Should-haves – Step two is to count out your should-haves—in other words, the features that would greatly benefit the project but may need to be omitted or altered if push comes to shove.

Could-haves – Step three includes your maybes. Could-haves are like “bonus” ideas—budget permitting, they’d be an excellent addition, but they won’t make or break the final product.

Won’t-haves – Step four is where you’ll put the concepts that simply aren’t viable for the project. Won’t-haves usually arise out of budget or time constraints.

To incorporate this method into your workflow, start with a customizable MoSCoW prioritization template from FigJam. Right away, you’ll be able to rearrange your ideas on a whim and give and receive feedback through text or audio.

Once you’ve set up your template, assemble the appropriate stakeholders and go through the four steps above. It may be helpful to list all aspects of your project before categorizing each one.

With your MoSCoW method template filled out, it’s time to tackle your must-haves, then allot any extra time and money to your should- and could-haves.