In any large-scale Agile framework like SAFe, aligning initiatives with business strategy is essential for maximizing the value delivered by teams. One of the key methods used to achieve this alignment is by utilizing Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF), a prioritization technique that helps determine which initiatives (or Epics) should be worked on first to deliver maximum value. In this blog post, we’ll break down how to align Epics to strategic themes using WSJF, explaining its components, application, and benefits.

What Is WSJF and Why Is It Important?

WSJF is a prioritization method used within the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to maximize economic value by calculating which tasks, Epics, or Features should be prioritized based on their cost of delay and size. The formula for WSJF is:

WSJF = (Cost of Delay) / (Job Size)

This formula is crucial for Agile teams and product owners because it ensures that the most valuable work is tackled first, improving throughput, reducing delays, and ensuring that the organization’s strategic goals are met.

Components of WSJF:

• Cost of Delay (CoD): This represents the economic impact of not delivering a specific Epic or Feature at the earliest opportunity. It includes factors like lost revenue, missed opportunities, or negative impacts on customer satisfaction. It’s typically broken down into three subcomponents:
  • User-Business Value: The potential value to the business if the Epic or Feature is delivered.
  • Time Criticality: How important it is to deliver the Epic or Feature within a specific timeframe.
  • Risk Reduction or Opportunity Enablement: The potential to reduce risk or unlock future opportunities if the Epic or Feature is completed.
• Job Size: This refers to the relative size or effort required to complete the Epic. Larger, more complex Epics have a higher Job Size, while smaller, simpler tasks will have a lower Job Size.

By using WSJF, teams are empowered to make informed decisions on which Epics and Features to prioritize, ensuring that strategic themes align with the most valuable and time-sensitive work.

Aligning Epics to Strategic Themes

To effectively use WSJF for aligning Epics with strategic themes, follow these steps:

1. Understand Your Strategic Themes

Strategic themes are the high-level objectives that guide decision-making and direction in an organization. They align with the business's overall goals, such as improving customer satisfaction, reducing time-to-market, or expanding into new markets.

To align Epics to strategic themes, it’s essential first to clearly define these themes. Ask yourself:

• What are the main objectives for the upcoming quarter or fiscal year?
• Which outcomes will bring the highest impact to the business?
• How do customer needs influence these goals?

2. Break Down Epics Based on Strategic Themes

Once your strategic themes are defined, break down your Epics into smaller, more manageable chunks of work. Each Epic should align with one or more strategic themes to ensure that the work being done directly contributes to the organization's goals.

For example, if one of your strategic themes is "Increase Customer Satisfaction," you might align Epics like "Enhance User Interface" or "Speed Up Checkout Process" under this theme. Each Epic should be mapped to the strategic theme it best supports, ensuring that you are working on initiatives that are strategically valuable.

3. Calculate Cost of Delay and Job Size for Each Epic

For each Epic, calculate its Cost of Delay and estimate its Job Size:

• Cost of Delay: Consider the value to the business if the Epic is delayed. For example, will it cause revenue loss or hurt customer retention? How critical is the timing for this Epic?
• Job Size: Determine the relative effort or complexity required to complete the Epic. This will be based on factors like team capacity, skill set, and technology stack.

4. Prioritize Epics Using WSJF

Once you've calculated the Cost of Delay and Job Size for each Epic, you can now prioritize the work using the WSJF formula.

The Epics that deliver the highest Cost of Delay for the smallest Job Size should be prioritized first, as these are likely to deliver the most value relative to effort. Epics with high Job Size but low Cost of Delay should be tackled later.

Example: Applying WSJF to Align Epics

Let’s consider a retail company working on several Epics for the upcoming quarter. One of the strategic themes is to Increase Online Sales. Below is a breakdown of two potential Epics:

• Epic 1: Implement a Personalized Recommendation Engine
  • Cost of Delay: High, as customers are increasingly expecting personalization and are likely to abandon the site if they don’t receive tailored recommendations.
  • Job Size: Large, as the technology and machine learning infrastructure required to implement it is complex.
• Epic 2: Improve Site Load Time
  • Cost of Delay: High, as slow loading times can result in significant customer drop-off.
  • Job Size: Medium, as the improvements can be made incrementally with fewer resources.

WSJF Calculation:

• Epic 1: CoD = High, Job Size = Large → WSJF = High/Large (may not be prioritized initially due to high effort)
• Epic 2: CoD = High, Job Size = Medium → WSJF = High/Medium (may be prioritized earlier due to quicker delivery)

Based on the WSJF formula, Epic 2 (Improving Site Load Time) will likely be prioritized first, even though Epic 1 aligns closely with the company’s strategic theme. This is because it offers a high Cost of Delay for a lower Job Size, ensuring a faster return on investment.

Benefits of Using WSJF for Strategic Alignment

• Optimizes Value Delivery: By focusing on Epics that provide the highest value relative to effort, organizations ensure they are working on the right things at the right time.
• Aligns Work with Business Goals: WSJF ensures that Epics tied to strategic themes are given higher priority, aligning the team’s output with business needs.
• Improves Time-to-Market: By minimizing the Job Size for high-priority items, teams can deliver valuable outcomes faster, thus improving time-to-market.
• Reduces Waste: By focusing only on Epics that have the highest value relative to effort, resources are used more effectively, minimizing waste.

Conclusion

Aligning Epics to strategic themes using WSJF is a powerful method for optimizing prioritization in the SAFe framework. By calculating the Cost of Delay and Job Size for each Epic, teams can ensure they are working on initiatives that maximize business value. This approach allows organizations to deliver high-value products faster, reduce delays, and ensure that all work directly contributes to their strategic goals.

For those looking to deepen their understanding of SAFe principles, exploring SAFe POPM Certification can provide invaluable insights into how product owners and managers can effectively drive strategic alignment using techniques like WSJF. Learn more about this certification and its impact on Agile product management by visiting AgileSeekers' SAFe POPM Certification.

 

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