FLAIR
  1. Foundation
  2. Leverage
  3. Activation
  4. Iteration
  5. Realisation
Use Case Prioritisation MatrixChapter 5

Use Case Prioritisation Matrix

Score every candidate on three axes. Apply the decision rule consistently.

Before any candidate is scored, check it against the four leverage criteria.

12+ Go. 8–11 review for scope reduction. <8 deprioritise.

Add a candidate

Strategic alignment: does it serve one of this year’s priorities?
Data availability: is the data it needs available and trusted?
Decision frequency: does the work happen often enough to matter?
Reversibility of error: can a mistake be caught and reversed?
Impact

How much will this change the business if it lands?

Ease

How light is the lift to build, deploy and maintain? 5 is a light lift, 1 is a heavy one. Higher is always better.

Readiness

How much of Foundation has been done for this candidate?

Total- / 15Score all three axes

The sheet

The Matrix works best with five to fifteen candidates on one sheet.

No candidates scored yet.

Common mistakes

Rounding up on Readiness because the team is enthusiastic. Rounding up on Impact because the proposer is senior. Scoring Ease as if it were effort, so that the hard builds score high. Deferring the cost-of-getting-it-wrong question because it makes the conversation harder.

Marlow's Matrix