Overview
The Priority Pyramid is a visual prioritization method that helps make decisions on the most important things to work on, guiding groups to filter tasks and agree on priorities through limited space. It is based on Priority Filter, invented by Corey Ladas, creator and author of the Scrumban process framework.
Framework Structure
The pyramid has four levels that represent different priority stages:
P1 (Top Priority)
- Tasks actively being worked on
- Highest priority level
- Most limited capacity
P2 (Next Level)
- Tasks that are contenders for the next top level
- Ready to move up once the team has extra bandwidth
- Second priority tier
P3 (Bottom of Pyramid)
- Upcoming tasks that will be worked on soon
- Third priority tier
- Larger capacity than upper levels
Backlog (Outside Pyramid)
- Tasks that won't be worked on in the near future
- Unlimited capacity
- Potential future work
Key Features
WIP Limits
Each level has an associated WIP-limit (work-in-progress limit), which is the cap on the maximum number of tasks that can be in that level. This prevents overcommitment and maintains focus.
Task Flow
- Tasks flow from the bottom of the Priority Pyramid upwards
- On completion, tasks are moved to a "Done" area outside of the pyramid
- New tasks enter at the backlog and move up as capacity becomes available
Just-In-Time Prioritization
- The Priority Pyramid helps in not taking premature decisions about priority
- Which task is to be picked next is decided on the completion of the previous high priority task
- Enables adaptive planning based on current context
Benefits
- Visual clarity: Easy to see what's being worked on and what's coming next
- Prevents overcommitment: WIP limits ensure teams don't take on too much work
- Team alignment: Shared visual model helps teams agree on priorities
- Flexible prioritization: Decisions are made just-in-time rather than far in advance
- Reduced waste: Prevents detailed planning for work that may never happen
Best Practices
- Set realistic WIP limits for each level based on team capacity
- Regularly review and update priorities as tasks complete
