MVP Feature Prioritization: The MoSCoW Method Explained Simply

You have 47 feature ideas. Your budget covers 10. Your timeline allows for 5.

Which ones make the cut?

This is where most MVPs go wrong. Without a clear prioritization method, everything feels important. Features creep in. Timelines slip. And suddenly your "minimum" viable product is neither minimum nor viable.

The MoSCoW method fixes this. It's a simple prioritization framework that forces hard decisions—exactly what MVP development requires.

What is the MoSCoW Method?

MoSCoW is a prioritization technique that categorizes features (or requirements) into four groups:

• Must have — Critical for launch, non-negotiable
• Should have — Important but not critical, can work around if needed
• Could have — Nice to have, include if time/budget allows
• Won't have (this time) — Explicitly out of scope for this release

The power is in the forced categorization. Every feature must go somewhere. No "high priority" bucket with 40 items. No "we'll see" pile. Clear decisions.

For MVPs specifically, this method is perfect because it aligns with the MVP mindset—ship small, learn fast, iterate.

The Four Categories Explained

Must Have (Mo)

Definition: Without these features, the product doesn't work. The MVP cannot launch. Users cannot get value.

Test: Ask "What happens if we don't include this?" If the answer is "The product is useless" or "Users can't complete the core task," it's a Must.

Examples for an invoicing MVP:

• Create an invoice ✓ Must
• Send invoice to client ✓ Must
• Accept payment ✓ Must
• User authentication ✓ Must

Warning: If more than 30-40% of your features are "Must Have," you haven't prioritized—you've just relabeled everything as critical. Be ruthless.

Should Have (S)

Definition: Important features that add significant value but aren't blockers. The MVP can launch without them, but it's noticeably better with them.

Test: Ask "Can users still accomplish the core task without this?" If yes, but their experience is degraded, it's a Should.

Examples for an invoicing MVP:

• Invoice templates — Should (users can create from scratch)
• Email reminders for overdue invoices — Should (users can manually follow up)
• Dashboard with payment status — Should (users can check individual invoices)

Strategy: Should Haves are your first post-launch iteration. Build Must Haves, launch, then immediately add Should Haves based on user feedback.

Could Have (C)

Definition: Nice-to-have features that enhance the experience but have minimal impact on core functionality. Include only if time and budget allow.

Test: Ask "Would users notice if this was missing?" If most users wouldn't notice or wouldn't care, it's a Could.

Examples for an invoicing MVP:

• Multiple currency support — Could
• Custom branding on invoices — Could
• Export to PDF — Could (if email delivery works)
• Dark mode — Could

Reality: In most MVPs, Could Haves don't make the cut. And that's fine. They're the first candidates when you need to trim scope.

Won't Have (W)

Definition: Explicitly out of scope for this release. Not forgotten—intentionally excluded. Will be considered for future versions.

Why this matters: "Won't Have" prevents scope creep by making exclusions visible. When stakeholders ask "What about X?" you can point to the Won't Have list and say "It's planned for v2."

Examples for an invoicing MVP:

• Recurring invoices — Won't have (v2)
• Accounting software integrations — Won't have (v2)
• Mobile app — Won't have (web-first)
• Multi-user team accounts — Won't have (solo users first)

Key insight: Won't Have doesn't mean "never." It means "not now." This is how you stay focused without killing good ideas.

How to Run a MoSCoW Prioritization Session

Here's a step-by-step process to prioritize your MVP features:

Step 1: List All Features

Brain dump every feature idea. Don't filter yet—just capture. Include:

• Your original vision features
• Features competitors have
• Features users have requested
• Features stakeholders want
• "Nice to have" ideas

Aim for completeness. You can't prioritize what isn't on the list.

Step 2: Define Your MVP Goal

Before categorizing, clarify what your MVP needs to accomplish. Complete this sentence:

"Our MVP is successful if users can [specific action] and we learn [specific insight]."

Example: "Our MVP is successful if freelancers can send invoices and get paid, and we learn whether they'll pay $15/month for this."

This goal becomes your filter. Features that don't serve this goal get deprioritized.

Step 3: Categorize Each Feature

Go through your list one by one. For each feature, ask:

1. "Can users achieve the MVP goal without this?" → If NO, it's a Must
2. "Does this significantly improve the core experience?" → If YES, it's a Should
3. "Is this nice but non-essential?" → It's a Could
4. "Is this out of scope for this release?" → It's a Won't

Be honest. Most features aren't Must Haves—they just feel that way.

Step 4: Validate Your Must Haves

Review your Must Have list. It should be small—typically 3-7 features for a focused MVP.

For each Must Have, ask:

• "If we removed this, could users still get value?" — If yes, demote to Should
• "Is there a simpler version that would work?" — If yes, simplify
• "Are we including this because we want it or because users need it?" — Be honest

The cost of your MVP is directly tied to your Must Have list. Fewer Must Haves = faster, cheaper MVP.

Step 5: Set Boundaries

Based on your timeline and budget, decide:

• Must Haves: All will be built (100%)
• Should Haves: Aim for 50-70%, knowing some may slip
• Could Haves: Only if ahead of schedule (expect 0-20%)
• Won't Haves: None in this release (0%)

This creates realistic expectations. You'll ship the Must Haves. Everything else is bonus.

Common MoSCoW Mistakes

Mistake 1: Everything is a Must Have

If 80% of your features are Must Haves, you haven't prioritized—you've just renamed your backlog.

Fix: Force yourself to a ratio. A typical MVP should have ~30% Must, ~30% Should, ~20% Could, ~20% Won't. Adjust based on your situation, but if Must Haves dominate, revisit your categorization.

Mistake 2: Emotional Prioritization

"I really want this feature" isn't a valid reason for Must Have status. Features get prioritized based on user need and MVP goal, not founder preference.

Fix: Tie every Must Have to validated user needs. If you haven't validated that users need it, it's probably not a Must.

Mistake 3: No Won't Have List

Without an explicit Won't Have list, excluded features keep creeping back. "What about this?" becomes a recurring conversation.

Fix: Make the Won't Have list visible to all stakeholders. When someone suggests a Won't Have feature, point to the list. "Great idea—it's slated for v2."

Mistake 4: Treating MoSCoW as One-Time

Priorities change as you learn. A Should Have might become a Must Have based on user feedback. A Must Have might prove unnecessary.

Fix: Re-evaluate MoSCoW categories at key milestones. After validation. After first user feedback. After each sprint. Priorities should evolve.

MoSCoW in Action: Example MVP

Let's say you're building an MVP for a meeting scheduling tool.

MVP Goal: "Users can schedule meetings with external participants, and we learn if they'll pay $10/month."

MoSCoW Categorization:

Must Have:

• User authentication
• Calendar connection (Google Calendar)
• Create available time slots
• Share scheduling link
• Invitee books a time slot
• Email confirmations to both parties

Should Have:

• Outlook calendar connection
• Buffer time between meetings
• Custom meeting durations
• Meeting reminder emails
• Reschedule/cancel flow

Could Have:

• Branded scheduling page
• Team scheduling
• Zoom link auto-generation
• Time zone detection
• Multiple meeting types

Won't Have:

• Mobile app
• Payment integration
• Round-robin team assignment
• Advanced analytics
• API for integrations

This MVP has 6 Must Haves—tight enough to build in 3-4 weeks. The Should Haves are the first iteration. The Won't Haves are explicitly parked for future versions.

Beyond MoSCoW: Additional Prioritization Techniques

MoSCoW works great for MVPs. For ongoing development, consider combining it with:

Impact vs. Effort Matrix

Plot features on a 2x2 grid: High Impact/Low Effort (do first), High Impact/High Effort (plan carefully), Low Impact/Low Effort (fill gaps), Low Impact/High Effort (probably don't do).

RICE Scoring

Score each feature: Reach × Impact × Confidence ÷ Effort. Higher scores = higher priority. Good for comparing features objectively.

Kano Model

Categorize features as Basic (expected), Performance (more is better), or Delighters (unexpected joy). Helps balance functional and emotional priorities.

For MVP specifically, MoSCoW is usually sufficient. Add complexity only if simple prioritization isn't working.

From Prioritization to Development

Once you've prioritized, the development process becomes clearer:

1. Week 1: Build the infrastructure and first Must Haves
2. Week 2: Complete remaining Must Haves
3. Week 3: Add Should Haves (as many as time allows)
4. Week 4: Testing, polish, and launch

Your MoSCoW list becomes your development roadmap. Developers know exactly what's critical, what's flexible, and what's off the table.

The Prioritization Mindset

The best prioritization isn't about features—it's about learning.

Every Must Have should teach you something about your users. Every Should Have should enhance what you learn. Everything else is noise that slows down learning.

When you're stuck on whether something is a Must or Should, ask: "Does including this help us learn faster, or does it just make the product feel more complete?"

The most successful MVPs were embarrassingly simple. Dropbox was a video. Airbnb was air mattresses. They prioritized learning over features—and won.

Ready to Prioritize and Build?

Got your MoSCoW list ready? Now turn it into a product.

t3c.ai builds MVPs in 2-4 weeks. Bring us your prioritized feature list, and we'll help you ship the Must Haves fast—with room for Should Haves if time allows.

We're a GenAI development agency that understands MVP discipline. We'll push back if your Must Have list is too long and help you ship something users can actually use.

Let's build your MVP →