Agile Journal Blogs
Conflicting Priorities
By Ishy Bansal
Navigating Conflicting Priorities: Stories from the Trenches
Conflicting priorities are an inevitable challenge in any organisation. Over the years, I’ve seen this play out repeatedly while working with teams striving to balance competing demands. Ensuring that teams focus on the right things at the right time requires not just processes, but also a mindset shift. Let me share a few experiences that have helped shape my approach to this complex issue.
The Importance of a Unified Approach
In one of my early engagements, a Product team was struggling to manage an ever-growing list of priorities. Each stakeholder viewed their requirements as the most critical, resulting in a fragmented and chaotic backlog. To bring order to the chaos, I introduced the concept of Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF). This prioritisation method allowed the team to evaluate features systematically, balancing business value, time criticality, and effort.
But even WSJF isn’t a magic bullet. I realised the backlog itself had become a neglected artefact. Teams were failing to refine it regularly, leading to misalignment and missed opportunities. I facilitated a series of backlog refinement sessions, pushing the team to ask tough questions about dependencies and end-to-end delivery. This not only improved the quality of their prioritisation but also fostered a deeper understanding of their collective responsibilities.
Asking the Hard Questions
A recurring anti-pattern I’ve encountered is the tendency for teams to prioritise features in isolation, without considering input from other critical functions. In one instance, a Product team had set priorities without consulting Security or Enterprise Architecture. When I asked, “Have these stakeholders been engaged?” the room went silent. It became clear that the team hadn’t accounted for dependencies that could derail their delivery timelines.
By guiding the team to include diverse perspectives, we uncovered hidden risks and opportunities, enabling them to set priorities more holistically. This experience reinforced the importance of cross-functional collaboration in achieving alignment.
The Challenge of Mid-PI Reprioritisation
Conflicts in priorities often arise mid-PI (Program Increment). I recall one situation where stakeholders pushed to introduce new scope halfway through a PI, disregarding the team’s finite capacity. This created unnecessary stress and risked derailing the committed plan. I stepped in to facilitate a critical conversation, reminding everyone of a key principle: new work can only be introduced if something else is descoped.
Using the mantra “Stop starting and start finishing,” I encouraged the team to focus on completing existing commitments before taking on additional work. This approach not only safeguarded delivery outcomes but also highlighted the value of maintaining a steady flow.
Educating Stakeholders on Capacity
One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve encountered is the belief that Agile teams can “just take on more.” This myth of infinite capacity often leads to burnout and diminished quality. To address this, I worked closely with stakeholders to visualise the team’s capacity and the trade-offs required to accommodate new priorities. By involving them in the planning process, we shifted the focus from “what else can we add?” to “what can we adjust to ensure sustainable delivery?”
Building Trust Through Transparency
The most successful teams I’ve worked with share one common trait: trust. By fostering open communication and involving all stakeholders in prioritisation discussions, teams can build a culture of transparency and collaboration. This doesn’t eliminate conflicts, but it does create a framework for resolving them constructively.
Conclusion
Conflicting priorities are a reality, but they don’t have to be a roadblock. By adopting structured prioritisation methods like WSJF, maintaining a living backlog, and promoting cross-functional collaboration, teams can navigate these challenges effectively. My experiences have taught me that while the path to alignment is often difficult, the rewards—better outcomes, stronger relationships, and a healthier work environment—are well worth the effort.