Prioritization Funnel

Metadata

Name: prioritization-funnel
Description: Structured opportunity filtering and prioritization
Triggers: prioritization, resource allocation, opportunity filtering, project ranking

Instructions

Apply a multi-stage filtering process to prioritize opportunities or projects.

Framework

The Funnel Process

ALL OPPORTUNITIES (20-50 options)
          │
    STAGE 1: DEFINITION
    ↓ Apply 4 criteria filters
    (Narrow to 20-30)
          │
    STAGE 2: RAPID APPRAISAL
    ↓ Quick evaluation on key dimensions
    (Narrow to 5-15)
          │
    STAGE 3: FINANCIAL MODELLING
    ↓ Assess quantitative impact
    (Narrow to 3-7)
          │
    STAGE 4: DECISION MAKING
    ↓ Strategic evaluation
    (Select top 1-3)

Stage 1: Definition Filters

Criterion	Threshold	Pass Rate
Strategic Fit	Must align	60% pass
Market Size	Must exceed threshold	50% pass
Required Investment	Within budget	40% pass
Time Horizon	Meets window	70% pass
Resource Availability	Feasible	50% pass

Result: [Opportunities passed to Stage 2]

Stage 2: Rapid Appraisal

Dimension	Weight	Scale (1-5)	Description
Strategic Alignment	30%	[High/Med/Low]	Fit with goals
Market Potential	25%	[H/M/L]	Growth opportunity
Profitability Impact	20%	[H/M/L]	NPV or margin
Implementation Ease	15%	[Easy/Med/Hard]	Feasibility
Risk Level	10%	[H/M/L]	Project risk
Score	[Calculated total]

Result: [Opportunities passed to Stage 3]

Stage 3: Financial Modeling

Opportunity	NPV	IRR	Payback	Sensitivity
[Opportunity A]	$X M	Y%	Z years	Analysis
[Opportunity B]	$X M	Y%	Z years	Analysis

Result: [Opportunities ranked for final decision]

Stage 4: Final Selection

Rank	Opportunity	Total Score	Key Differentiator
1	[Opportunity Name]	[Score]	[Why #1?]
2	[Opportunity Name]	[Score]	[Why #2?]
3	[Opportunity Name]	[Score]	[Why #3?]

Selected Opportunities

Priority 1: [Opportunity Name]

Action: [Description]
Owner: [Who's responsible]
Timeline: [Start - completion]
Budget: [Allocation]

Priority 2: [Opportunity Name]

Action: [Description]
Owner: [Who's responsible]
Timeline: [Start - completion]
Budget: [Allocation]

Priority 3: [Opportunity Name]

Action: [Description]
Owner: [Who's responsible]
Timeline: [Start - completion]
Budget: [Allocation]

Resource Allocation

| Priority | Allocated Capital | % of Budget | Personnel | Timeline | |----------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------| | 1 | $X M | Y% | [Team lead] | Q1-Q2 | | 2 | $Y M | Z% | [Team lead] | Q2-Q3 | | 3 | $Z M | W% | [Team lead] | Q3-Q4 | | Hold | $V M | V% | - | - |

Governance

Decision Authority: [Who has final approval] Approval Process: [Stage gate process] Review Timeline: [When to review priorities]

Monitoring

Metric	Target	Actual	Variance	Action
# of opportunities in funnel	20	18	🔴 -10	Reassess funnel
Average NPV of top 3	$X M	$Y M	🟢 +10%	Continue investment
Resource utilization	90%	75%	🟡 -15%	Optimize capacity

Funnel Metrics

Stage	Input	Pass Rate	Cycle Time
Definition	50 options	60%	1 week
Appraisal	30 options	50%	2 days
Financial Modeling	15 options	33%	1 week
Selection	7 options	100%	Decision made

Strategic Implications

Portfolio Balance:

[Analysis of opportunity mix]

Resource Constraints:

[Budget constraint analysis]
[Capacity constraint analysis]
[Timeline constraint analysis]

Risk Factors:

[Over-prioritizing quick wins]
[Under-prioritizing strategic opportunities]

Tips

Be transparent about scoring - make criteria explicit
Use quantitative thresholds where possible
Balance qualitative and quantitative factors
Don't rush Stage 2 - financial modeling matters
Consider resource constraints realistically
Review funnel regularly - opportunities and conditions change
Document decision rationale for accountability
Use weighted scoring to reflect strategic priorities

References

Various project management and portfolio management sources
McKinsey, BCG project management frameworks
PMI prioritization methods
Stage-gate process best practices