Is WSJF Effective? Or Should I do Objective Stack Ranking?

Is WSJF Effective? Or Should I do Objective Stack Ranking?

How is WSJF calculated? Weighted Shortest Job First is a simple formula: Cost of Delay divided by Job Duration (or Size).

Step 1: Calculate Cost of Delay

To arrive at the Cost of Delay figure, however, we will need to do a few additional calculations.

As the training company Scaled Agile explains, ⁠Cost of Delay in the WSJF framework is three components⁠:

1. Value to the business and/or user

2. Time criticality

3. Risk reduction and/or opportunity enablement

To calculate the Cost of Delay, you will create a scale for each component (for example, 1 to 10) and add them up. The combined number of all three parts will equal your Cost of Delay score.

Step 2: Calculate Job Duration (or Size)

Next, you will set a scale for the job duration or size of each initiative on your list. The scale can be different from your Cost of Delay scale (for example, 1 to 20) as long as you are applying it consistently to all initiatives.

As TechBeacon explains, calculating job duration in WSJF can be difficult. Your current resource levels, dependencies, skill sets, and other factors can make a project more time-consuming or taking longer at your company than it might at others.

But your team will need to agree on a methodology for assigning a number value to each initiative on your list. When determining job duration or size, the lower-number items will become your higher-priority initiatives.

Step 3: Divide Cost of Delay by Job Duration (or Size)

The final step is to divide your Cost of Delay by Job Duration for each initiative on your list. Prioritize the initiatives with the highest overall scores at the top of your list.

For example, let’s assume you’ve scored one initiative on your list with a Cost of Delay of 9 and a Job Duration of 1. That initiative’s WSJF score will be 9, or 91.

Now assume you’ve scored another initiative this way: Cost of Delay = 7 and Job Duration = 4. That initiative’s WSJF score is only 1.75, or 74.

As you can see, initiatives with higher Cost of Delay scores earn a higher position on your WSJF list. Initiatives with lower Job Duration scores also receive a higher WSJF priority.

Simple right? LOL

Just use Objective Stack Ranking.. It is MUCH MUCH easier for everyone involved!

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