Prioritizing Work

Terry Doerscher - October 16, 2009

Governance ProjectsAtWork

Here is a 12-step guide to developing an integrated work-prioritization process.

Common agreement on priorities is vital in matrix organizations because of the need for people from different teams or groups to collaborate to get almost anything of business value accomplished. In lieu of a consistent method to evaluate and score inbound requests, individuals, team leads, or managers are left to assess priority based on their own perspectives and information available. Different conclusions almost always result, which hampers teamwork.

Established guidelines become a highly visible standard when they are applied to all demand. Relative importance can be understood by line managers who must make decisions on how to best deploy their staff to accomplish routine planned work. When managers are armed with a uniform understanding of how pending work stacks up in terms of priority, they are able to collaborate more effectively to meet common objectives.

Establishing a single common prioritization standard within a department, business unit, or even at the enterprise level can make a significant improvement in overall operational efficiency, perhaps more so than any other best practice. It is core to establishing a proactive work environment, keeping resources and money focused on the work of greatest business value, and fostering a higher level …

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