Ever feel like your workday is a ship navigating choppy seas? Every project and feature is a wave in that ocean — some are small and manageable, others are huge and need careful steering. In the world of product delivery, prioritisation isn’t just about getting through arbitrary work; it’s about guiding a team’s working process to consistently deliver real value for customers and the business. Effective prioritisation keeps things steady, the team aligned, and the course clear so no one’s blindsided by unexpected storms.

Think of prioritisation as the art of keeping the ship on course, where every level of prioritisation helps the team navigate smoothly, with each choice building on the last to keep progress efficient and steady. Let’s focus on the three levels of prioritisation that’ll transform a chaotic workflow and process into a well-coordinated journey at sea.

Level 1: In-Progress Work — Patch the Leaks First

Imagine you’re captaining a ship, and there’s a leak in the hull. You wouldn’t ignore it to paint the deck, right? Similarly, in your system, what’s already in progress demands attention — these are the leaks or the tasks you’ve started but haven’t yet finished. Just like patching a hull keeps the ship stable, wrapping up in-progress tasks keeps your workflow steady and flowing.

Why prioritise work that’s already underway?

• Clear Waters Ahead: Think of every unfinished task as potential ballast — slowing down the whole ship. When you patch those leaks by completing in-progress work, your team isn’t bogged down by lingering tasks and incomplete cycles.
• Flow Debt Prevention: Lingering tasks create flow debt. It’s like extra weight dragging on your workflow, causing backlogs and bottlenecks that are tough to steer around. The more you let tasks pile up mid-stream, the harder it is to push forward efficiently. Getting work to “done” minimises this debt and keeps things light.
• Better Forecasting: Wrapping up what’s in progress lets you forecast upcoming work more reliably. As a steady ship has a predictable speed, consistent throughput means you can better predict what’s next. This keeps both the team and stakeholders on board with what’s coming down the line.

So, before you’re tempted to take on something shiny and new, ask yourself: what’s unfinished that I can patch up first? As any seasoned captain knows, a quick patch now saves chaos later.

Level 2: Charting the Next Course — Balance Risk and Reward

Once your in-progress work is all shipshape, it’s time to set your course for what comes next. But here’s the rub: not every task should be handled in strict order. Imagine you’re at sea, facing two potential routes. Route A has calm waters but goes slightly off course, while Route B has clouds on the horizon and may bring heavy waves — which do you choose? Like in sailing, good prioritisation means balancing what’s safe with what might be risky but worth it.

Here’s how to navigate what’s next:

• Risk Check: As stormy seas need a careful navigator, high-risk work items require attention. Does a seemingly small task have hidden risks, or could it derail the timeline? Maybe a last-minute request is coming from an important client, one you don’t want to disappoint. Prioritising based on risk lets you tackle those tricky but important tasks without getting blindsided.
• Learning from the Journey: Every completed task is a lesson learned. Was it smoother than expected, or did it reveal unexpected challenges? Did it teach you something you hadn’t accounted for that might impact upcoming work? Lessons from completed tasks help you choose wisely when deciding what’s next. Like a captain charts a new course based on past voyages, your team should draw on recent experience to make better choices.
• Adapt to What Emerges: Once in a while, you’ll notice patterns — perhaps specific tasks take longer than planned, or certain work items tend to hit the same blockers. If you start to see trends, adjust! Embrace these as signals to tweak your process, reshuffle priorities, or address recurring blockers before they pop up again. Your team’s smooth sailing depends on learning and adapting from what you’ve tackled before.

Level 3: Managing the Backlog — A Navigation Chart for the Future

Your backlog is like the ship’s navigation chart — it gives you a rough course, but it needs occasional updates to stay valid, not constant tending. Let’s be honest: while maintaining an organised backlog has its place, it’s also the least critical of the three levels of prioritisation. Think of it as a map that helps you avoid straying too far off course, but one that doesn’t need to capture every twist and turn ahead. Over time, priorities change, goals shift, and the backlog must adapt — but only when it truly adds value. Are you trying to keep it perfectly aligned all the time? Some see that as ‘wasteful’ because each new task or insight can make today’s list obsolete.

So, how do you keep your backlog functional and nimble without over-tending it? Here’s a just-in-time approach:

• Stay in Sync with Core Goals: Ensure that your backlog only roughly aligns with the team’s and business’s main objectives — this isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it situation, but it’s also not worth reworking every day. Review it periodically: are the tasks close to the top still relevant, or have priorities changed? Adjust the map just enough to avoid drifting too far off your strategic destination.
• Streamlined Decision-Making: A streamlined backlog makes selecting the next task quicker and clearer. When your list is kept just relevant enough, there’s less second-guessing, so you’re not spending time re-deciding what’s already been decided.
• Lighten the Mental Load: A nimble, purpose-driven backlog significantly improves team clarity. Imagine knowing every item on the list has passed a “Do we still care?” check. That’s peace of mind — no endless re-checking, no clutter. These are just tasks with purpose, updated only when they actually make a difference.

By treating the backlog as a low-frequency priority, you let the act of delivering work itself inform which new priorities might emerge, keeping the team’s focus where it matters most: finishing in-flight work and making solid choices on what’s next.

Bringing It All Together: Your Workflow Compass

When each level works together, you have a well-captained ship ready to handle any sea. Prioritisation isn’t about just getting through the work; it’s about creating a steady rhythm that the whole team can rely on, even when things get rough.

Here’s your daily prioritisation checklist:

1. Patch up in-progress work: What’s unfinished that needs attention? Focusing on getting these tasks to “done” keeps the weight off the ship, reducing drag on your throughput.
2. Navigate next tasks with purpose: Choose your next steps carefully by balancing risk and value, learning from completed work, and adapting to emerging patterns that keep your team’s progress smooth.
3. Keep your backlog useful, not cluttered: Update it just enough to stay aligned with goals, minimise re-prioritisation, and reduce mental overload. It’s a guide, not a gospel.

Think of prioritisation not as a chore but as a daily course adjustment that keeps your work and your team moving in the right direction without running aground.

Setting Sail

Ready to turn your team’s workflow from a chaotic sea of tasks into a purposeful journey? Embrace these three levels of prioritisation and watch the ship steady, the crew gain confidence, and the waves of work come in as manageable, valuable outputs. It’s not about checking every box but guiding your team towards delivering actual value, one smart choice at a time.

Which level of prioritisation feels trickiest for your team? Share your experiences in the comments, and let’s learn from each other’s journeys toward a better Flow system!