The second factor that interferes with effective prioritisation is that it is difficult to cope with loss, even if it’s only the loss of an idea. Once you have invested in something, even only to the point of imagining and writing a user story, you don’t want to see that effort wasted by cutting it. People can experience tangible grief over letting go—whether it’s letting go of a focus on a particular customer segment or of a favourite feature, even if it is only for right now. They fear, and sometimes rightfully so, that if they don’t push for their ideas, they will never be implemented. As a
...more
