Task Prioritization Methods

🥇 “How To Prioritize Design System Requests” (+ Figma templates) (https://lnkd.in/eTsVNdcU), a step-by-step approach to manage and prioritize requests in your design system — against reusability, product area, alternative solutions and effort, then to be reviewed, groomed and broken down into tasks by on-call squad. A practical case study by Alexander Fandén and the wonderful Agoda team. 👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾 Guide + video: https://lnkd.in/e2x78wuC New component request (Figma): https://lnkd.in/ezxSbX8r Component improvement template (Figma): https://lnkd.in/e_4A_-a3 Icon request template (Figma): https://lnkd.in/erwnwAiZ Presentation + Notes: https://lnkd.in/e9UgB_Qc 🤔 As design teams grow, so do requests for the design system. 🤔 Different teams have conflicting needs → conflicting requests. 🤔 With 60 product teams, 1000 running A/B tests, time is critical. 🚫 Poor coordination → misaligned priorities, dropped requests. 🚫 If a design system can’t deliver on time, it’s a bottleneck. ✅ Set up a new board exclusively for feature requests. ✅ It’s organized by status and priorities (highest → lowest). ✅ 4 request types: features, visual assets, tokens, tooling. ✅ Set up problem statement/solution kits, Figma templates. ✅ Figma templates include design specs, use cases, context. ✅ Requests are scored (high → won’t fix) on 4 key criteria. ↳ Product area, Reusability, Alternative solutions, Effort. ✅ Set up rotating on-call squad: designer, engineer, PM, QA. ✅ Squad reviews requests, team grooms them every 2 weeks. ✅ Store tickets in separate boards for each scrum team. Personally, I love how simple yet well-structured the process is. Too often decisions are made based on the loudest voice in the room, without any workflow that prioritizes work that has the highest impact and the highest relevance for all product teams. This approach changes that. Plus, as Alexander noted, it’s important that stakeholders can track the progress by viewing the status of all linked tickets within the feature request. Also, they can also add themselves as watchers to receive automated updates on any changes or comments — along with automated Slack announcements. And: for any process to be followed, it’s not enough to make it easy to follow. What has been helpful is to also make sure that it’s difficult not to use it. That’s where templates in Jira and in Figma can help — and make sure that we don’t miss all the critical details, dependencies, variants and use cases. Kudos to the Agoda team for the fantastic work and sharing their insights and Figma templates in public! 👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾 #ux #DesignSystems

Want to tackle the most impactful data projects? Use the RICE scoring model to sort them by priority! RICE stands for Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort. It’s a useful framework to prioritize tasks and projects effectively. 1. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵: Estimate how many people your project will affect. For example, how many teams will make decisions based on my results?     2. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Estimate the potential benefit. Will this project bring significant improvements or minor enhancements? Rate it on a scale e.g., 1 to 5.     3. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Assess how confident you are in your estimates. High confidence boosts the project’s score, while low confidence lowers it. Be honest about your uncertainties regarding data quality and model complexity (0.0 to 1.0).     4. 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁: Calculate the time and resources required to complete the project. Measure it in person-hours or team-days. Less effort means a higher score. C͟a͟l͟c͟u͟l͟a͟t͟i͟o͟n͟ 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort E͟x͟a͟m͟p͟l͟e͟ You will reach 50 sales managers with your model and estimate an impact of 4 out 5 on their work. You're fairly certain about achieving your goal with a rate of 0.8. It will take you about 80 hours of work to build the model. 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 = (50 × 4 × 0.8) / 80 𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 =  2 You can compare this score of 2 versus the other project scores and select the one with the highest value. Use the RICE model to sort and prioritize your data projects. It ensures you’re focusing on high-impact tasks that require reasonable effort and have solid confidence behind them. Regularly revisit and adjust your scores as new data or insights become available. This keeps your priorities aligned with changing business goals. By applying the RICE scoring model, you’ll increase the efficiency of your project management, ensuring you’re working on what truly matters. How do you currently prioritize your data projects? ---------------- ♻️ Share if you find this post useful ➕ Follow for more daily insights on how to grow your career in the data field #dataanalytics #datascience #rice #projectmanagement #prioritization

Stop sending endless SEO audits. They're not being read. Businesses don't care about lengthy, 30-page technical reports. ↳ They care about rankings ↳ They care about traffic ↳ They care about revenue ↳ They care about leads And what ends up happening? A massive document filled with jargon is just gathering dust. Instead, focus on the real issues. ✔️ Identify what's critical ✔️ Highlight what can wait ✔️ Suggest quick wins Turn your analysis into actionable steps. Make clarity your goal, not complexity. Show your clients you are not merely auditing their site, you're proactively solving their problems. Remember this: Don't go overboard fixing everything for free. There is a fine line between being helpful and overextending yourself. I once took a 50-page SEO audit and condensed it into a single page of clear, actionable insights. The outcome? The client actually took action. They started implementing the changes right away. Now, they send me ongoing SEO campaigns because they see my commitment to impact over busy work. In SEO, delivering real value always triumphs over delivering fluff. Are you making the same mistake in your audits?

Humans love closure. Psychologists call it the Zeigarnik effect. Our brains fixate on unfinished tasks, nudging us toward completion to relieve that mental itch. But this desire for resolution often drives us to prioritize the quick and easy over the deep and impactful. Have you ever spent a day answering emails only to realize you didn’t make headway on your biggest project? That’s the Zeigarnik effect at work - tricking us into thinking we’re productive because we’re busy. McKinsey adds another layer, revealing that employees spend 60% of their time on non-strategic tasks like meetings and administrative work. This leaves just 40% of their bandwidth for creative or value-driven contributions. Busyness has become a substitute for accomplishment. And it’s not just inefficient - it’s demoralizing.   Achieving meaningful outcomes requires intentionality. Here are five strategies to help you distinguish between being busy and being impactful:   1. Define What Success Looks Like Achievement begins with clarity. Start by articulating your key objectives and defining metrics that matter. Ask yourself: Does this task drive results, or is it just busywork?   2. Audit Your Workload Regularly Time is your most valuable resource. Conduct regular audits to determine where it’s going. There are various Apps on the Internet that can help you reveal whether your daily activities align with your priorities. 3. Rethink Meetings Unproductive meetings are among the biggest culprits of wasted time. Before scheduling one, ask: Could this be an email? Companies like Shopify have pioneered “No Meeting Wednesdays,” allowing employees uninterrupted time for deep work. 4. Embrace the Pareto Principle The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, suggests that 80% of outcomes stem from 20% of efforts. Identify these high-impact activities and double down. 5. Recognize What Truly Matters Instead of praising activity (“Great job sending all those emails!”), celebrate achievement (“Your strategic approach to client outreach resulted in three new deals this quarter!”). It is critical to prioritize what matters. That might mean saying no to a meeting, challenging ineffective workflows, or pausing to ask, “Does this drive me/us forward?” True achievement isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing what matters. #leadership #personaldevelopment #motivation

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) isn’t just about inserting keywords—it’s about understanding your audience’s intent and structuring your content to address their needs effectively. By focusing on keyword intent, clustering, and topical relevance, your law firm can improve search engine visibility and attract the right clients. 1️⃣ Keyword Intent: Align Your Content with Client Needs Understanding the intent behind a client’s search helps you create content that meets their expectations. >> Informational Intent: Clients seeking answers or guidance: “What are my rights after a workplace accident?” “How does probate work in the UK?” Strategy: Publish blogs, FAQs, and educational resources addressing these queries. >> Navigational Intent: Clients looking for a specific service or firm: “Best family law solicitor in Birmingham.” “Smith & Partners legal advice contact.” Strategy: Ensure your website is optimised with clear service pages and detailed contact information. >> Transactional Intent: Clients ready to take action, such as hiring a solicitor: “No-win, no-fee personal injury lawyer near me.” “Book a legal consultation online.” Strategy: Provide strong calls to action, online booking systems, and client testimonials. 2️⃣ Topic Clusters: Build Content Hubs Search engines prioritise websites that demonstrate topical authority. Instead of individual, isolated keywords, focus on clustering related topics under one umbrella: Example Topic Cluster: Divorce Law in the UK >> Pillar Content: “The Ultimate Guide to Divorce Law in the UK.” Cluster Content: > > >“Understanding the Divorce Process.” > > >“How Child Custody is Decided in England and Wales.” > > >“Divorce Mediation vs. Litigation: Which is Right for You?” Strategy: Link all related content back to the main pillar page, reinforcing its authority and creating a seamless user experience. 3️⃣ Focus on Topics Over Keywords Google’s algorithms are increasingly prioritising the overall relevance of content rather than exact keyword matches. Shift Your Focus to Questions Clients Might Ask: Instead of targeting “probate solicitor,” write a guide like “Everything You Need to Know About Handling Probate in the UK.” Instead of “employment lawyer,” address specific pain points, like “What to Do If You’ve Been Unfairly Dismissed.” Strategy: Create comprehensive, client-focused content that answers multiple related questions in one place. 4️⃣ Tools and Strategies for Success >> Use platforms like Google Search Console, inLinks, Dragon Metrics, and AlsoAsked to identify questions, intent, and related searches. >> Monitor which queries drive traffic to your website. >> Optimise internal linking to guide users through relevant content, keeping them engaged on your site longer. By focusing on the bigger picture—client intent, interconnected topics, and a well-structured content strategy—you can better establish your firm as a trusted authority. #lawfirmmarketing #digitalmarketing

Most founders make this energy-draining mistake: Treating every task with the same approach. The result: - Inefficient use of peak performance hours  - Missed opportunities to delegate effectively - Burnout from pushing through depleting work After working with hundreds of founders, I've discovered a simple but powerful framework: The Energy-Colour Method: 1. Task Classification 🟢 Green: Energising tasks that fuel you 🔴 Red: Depleting tasks that drain you 2. Strategic Execution For Green Tasks: - Bookend your days (start/end strong) - Block uninterrupted deep work time - Use as rewards after tough sprints For Red Tasks: - Delegate where possible - Batch similar tasks - Eliminate non-essential ones 3. Implementation Rule Never schedule more than 2 red tasks per day. You can’t be strategic when your energy is low. Remember: Building a startup is a marathon disguised as a sprint. Founders, what are your go-to hacks for handling necessary but draining tasks? Let me know in the comments ⤵️

This productivity tool saved me 20 hours per week: The Eisenhower Matrix. Most people confuse being busy with being productive. But activity isn't achievement. Progress is. I spent years in reactive mode—fighting fires, handling "urgent" tasks, wondering why I never made real progress on what mattered. Then I discovered this: Not all tasks are created equal. The breakthrough came from separating urgent from important. The system is simple: Draw a 2x2 matrix and categorize every task: • Important & Urgent → Do Now • Important & Not Urgent → Decide (schedule it) • Not Important & Urgent → Delegate • Not Important & Not Urgent → Delete Track your tasks for one week. At the end, ask yourself: • Which quadrant consumed most of your time? • Which quadrant holds most of your tasks? The gap between these answers reveals everything. I discovered I was spending 70% of my time on "urgent but not important" tasks—other people's priorities disguised as emergencies. The shift was simple: I started saying no to fake urgencies and scheduling deep work for what actually mattered. You can't eliminate all urgent tasks. But when you spend most of your time on important non-urgent work, you build the life you want instead of reacting to the life you have. Watch the full 3-minute breakdown to implement this system today.

Yesterday I posted about ways to help you work through your task list, but how do you know which order to do your tasks in? The first thing I do is create a to-do list. Start by listing all the tasks you need to complete. Having a clear view of your tasks is the first step in choosing what order to do them in. After creating my list, I then use a great tool called the Eisenhower Matrix that helps me prioritise tasks by how urgent and important they are. If you search online you can see how to draw the matrix, it's a simple diagram that allows you to put tasks into 4 categories: ⚠ Urgent and Important: These are top priority tasks that require immediate attention, like deadlines or emergencies. 💡 Important but Not Urgent: These tasks are significant but don't require immediate action. They are often related to long-term goals, planning, and personal growth. 😵 Urgent but Not Important: These tasks demand immediate attention but may not contribute significantly to your long-term goals. They can include interruptions or distractions. These are some of the worst types of tasks for getting in your way of achieving your goals. 😴 Neither Urgent nor Important: These are tasks that can be put on the back burner or delegated because they have minimal impact on your goals. Each of the quadrants on the diagram is associated with an action: ✔ Urgent and important tasks are labelled as "Do First". Get them put into your diary to do immediately. ✔ Important but not urgent tasks should be labelled as "Schedule" (and don't forget to schedule them!). ✖ Urgent but not important tasks should be labelled as "Delegate", or in some cases you may just want to push back and say "no". If it's not important, does it actually need to be done? ❌ Neither urgent nor important tasks should be tagged as "Don't Do" and take them off your list! See, we're getting rid of tasks already and we haven't even started doing them, whoop whoop! There are a few other things I consider when looking at my tasks: ❓ Consider Deadlines. If you have looming deadlines, they should often take precedence. But don't let a task's urgency overshadow its importance. Sometimes, long-term projects need attention even if there's no immediate deadline. ❓ Evaluate Impact and Consequences. Think about the potential impact each task has on your goals or the business. Consider the consequences of not completing a task and the benefits of completing it. ❓ Time and Energy Management. Take your own energy levels and the time of day into account. If you're most productive in the morning, tackle your most critical tasks then. Save routine or less demanding tasks for when your energy dips. My slump is around 3-4pm so I tend to keep that time for admin or fun tasks that are less pressured. Experiment with different methods and find what works best for you. It's all about aligning your efforts with your goals and making the most of your time and resources. #TaskManagement #Prioritising

Have you heard of the "Get Rid of Stupid Stuff" (GROSS) programme by Hawaii Pacific Health? This initiative saved 1,700 nurse hours per month!! It saved time by addressing something that plagues many workplaces: unnecessary, outdated, or low-value tasks. I see this initiative as a great reminder to us all that meaningful change doesn’t always require big budgets or sweeping overhauls—it often starts with identifying and eliminating the small, frustrating #inefficiencies that drain time and energy. Here’s how it worked: 👉 #Frontlinefeedback: Nurses were encouraged to submit suggestions for tasks they felt were unnecessary or outdated. 👉 #Evaluation: The leadership team reviewed submissions to identify tasks that could be streamlined, automated, or removed entirely. 👉 #Action: Based on this feedback, they eliminated redundant forms, simplified processes, and cut out tasks that no longer added value. The results? Not only did they save hours, but they also improved morale, reduced burnout, and created more time for nurses to focus on what truly mattered to them, which was caring for patients. 💡 💡An initiative like this only works when leaders step off the hamster wheel and make time to listen to their teams. ❗ Ideally, we would involve people in this kind of improvement work all the time. Every day and every week! And yes there are some client-facing jobs where it's difficult to make time for this but that's not an excuse! There's always a way to involve people and make their voices heard. So...if you are struggling to make time for improvement. Start with these three steps: 1️⃣ Ask your team: What are the “stupid stuff” tasks in their day? Encourage honest feedback in a safe, judgment-free way. 2️⃣ Evaluate together: Work with those directly impacted to assess which tasks genuinely add value and which don’t. 3️⃣ Act boldly: Once you’ve identified unnecessary tasks, have the courage to remove or simplify them. And as people's time is freed up, due to less wasted time, they will have MORE time to invest in proactive improvement work This isn’t just about cutting tasks; it’s about respecting people’s time, reducing stress, and enabling teams to do their best work. ❓ Thoughts? Are you a busy client facing organization and have you tried something similar? Let me know in the comments below 🙏 ____________________________________________________________ I'm Catherine McDonald- Lean Business and Leadership Coach. Follow me for daily 8am insights on Lean, Leadership, Coaching, Strategy and Organizational Behaviour.

Most people think every task deserves them. They're wrong I met an entrepreneur who was always overloaded. He said: "I never have enough time to get everything done." The reason he felt this way was: He had no clear plan or strategy to manage his time effectively. Even though he was highly skilled and motivated. He couldn’t figure out how to balance his workload, but knew he needed to find a solution fast. Sadly, I wasn’t surprised. But I told him with the right tactics, he could master his time. It didn’t matter how many tasks he had. Here’s what he did: Plan to Win, Every Day He ended each day by setting three top priorities for the next day.   This way, he avoided decision fatigue and started each morning with a clear focus. Automate the Everyday   He used AI tools to handle scheduling, routine emails, and admin tasks. Automation worked while he slept, freeing up his brain for more important work. Build an Ironclad Focus Fortress He blocked out “deep work” hours with no interruptions. His team and clients respected these windows, boosting his productivity. Optimize Your Energy, Not Just Your Time He aligned his tasks with his natural energy levels. Creative work during peak times, repetitive tasks during low-energy periods. This helped him achieve more without burning out. The Snap Decision Rule He handled small tasks immediately if they took two minutes or less. This kept his mind clear and maintained momentum on bigger goals. Decide What Deserves You He filtered his to-do list daily:   - Does this contribute to my growth?   - Can it be delegated or dropped?   By eliminating low-impact tasks, he focused on what truly mattered. The Distraction-Free Zone   He unplugged for at least an hour each day.   No emails, no calls, no scrolling.   This time was for creative thinking and strategic planning.   Silence became his tool for clarity and innovation. Months went by: And he transformed his business. He mastered his time and achieved remarkable results. So here’s my take: Every overloaded entrepreneur can find time mastery. With the right tactics, you can focus on what truly matters. And achieve more than you ever thought possible.