What is MoSCoW Method?

The MoSCoW method is a prioritization technique that categorizes requirements or initiatives into four groups: Must Have (non-negotiable for the initiative to succeed), Should Have (important but not critical — the initiative can proceed without them), Could Have (desirable if time and resources allow), and Won't Have This Time (explicitly deferred to a future iteration). MoSCoW is best suited for scope management within individual projects rather than portfolio-level prioritization. Its main limitation is that it provides no ranking within categories — all 'Must Haves' get equal priority, which doesn't solve the core problem when you have more Must Haves than capacity. For portfolio-level decisions, combine MoSCoW with quantitative frameworks like RICE scoring.