Task Prioritization
Prioritise a Brutal Backlog
Rank a backlog with explicit trade-offs: impact, effort, risk, and what you will not do this week.
The Prompt
prioritise-a-brutal-backlog.md
Prioritise this backlog. Be willing to say no. Items: {{items}} Capacity this week: {{capacity}} Strategy / theme: {{theme}} Hard deadlines: {{deadlines}} Return: 1. Ranked list with a one-line reason each (impact × urgency × effort) 2. This week's committed set that fits {{capacity}} 3. Explicit won't-do list 4. Anything that looks like a fake priority (busywork, someone else's urgency) If items lack enough detail to rank, ask up to 5 clarifying questions first - then rank the rest.
Negative prompt
Included when you copy the prompt
Do not commit more work than {{capacity}} allows. Do not treat every request as equal - call out fake priorities and someone else's urgency. Do not invent scope, estimates, or deadlines missing from the input; ask clarifying questions instead (max 5). Do not omit an explicit won't-do list. Do not rank with buzzwords instead of impact × urgency × effort reasons. Do not sneak deadline items out of the committed set without saying what slips.
Fill in your details below - this prompt updates as you type, then copy it.
Fill in your details
0 of 4 filled. Preview updates as you type - then copy the finished prompt (negative prompt included when present).
prioritise-a-brutal-backlog.md
Prompt preview
Prioritise this backlog. Be willing to say no. Items: {{items}} Capacity this week: {{capacity}} Strategy / theme: {{theme}} Hard deadlines: {{deadlines}} Return: 1. Ranked list with a one-line reason each (impact × urgency × effort) 2. This week's committed set that fits {{capacity}} 3. Explicit won't-do list 4. Anything that looks like a fake priority (busywork, someone else's urgency) If items lack enough detail to rank, ask up to 5 clarifying questions first - then rank the rest.
Examples
Example input
Items: - Finish onboarding checklist redesign (est. 8h) - activation OKR - Fix CSV export bug affecting 3 enterprise accounts (est. 5h) - Write Q3 board metrics narrative (est. 3h) - board Thursday - Explore AI summary feature spike (est. 6h) - CEO Slack ask - Clean up Storybook stories (est. 4h) - Migrate leftover pages to new design tokens (est. 10h) - Reply to design critique on mobile nav (est. 2h) - Draft hiring scorecard for senior FE (est. 3h) Capacity this week: 20 hours (IC designer-eng hybrid) Strategy / theme: Activation: raise Day-7 activated rate; stabilize enterprise trust Hard deadlines: Board deck narrative due Thursday 10:00; enterprise CSV fix promised Friday EOD
What you should get
Clarifying (none blocking - estimates present). Ranking with given estimates. 1. Ranked list 1. Board metrics narrative (3h) - hard Thursday deadline; high urgency, low effort 2. CSV export bug (5h) - enterprise trust + Friday promise; high impact/urgency 3. Onboarding checklist redesign (8h) - direct activation OKR; high impact 4. Hiring scorecard (3h) - supports capacity later; medium impact, flexible timing 5. Mobile nav critique reply (2h) - unblocks others; small effort 6. AI summary spike (6h) - CEO interest but not theme-critical this week 7. Storybook cleanup (4h) - hygiene / busywork vs activation 8. Design token migration (10h) - large, non-urgent; crowds out OKR work 2. Committed this week (20h) - Board narrative - 3h - CSV export fix - 5h - Onboarding checklist redesign - 8h - Mobile nav critique reply - 2h - Hiring scorecard - 2h (partial; finish next week if needed) Total 20h 3. Won't-do this week - AI summary spike - Storybook cleanup - Design token migration (remainder) - Hiring scorecard polish beyond 2h 4. Fake priorities - Storybook cleanup - tidy work dressed as progress - AI summary spike - executive curiosity without activation/enterprise link this week - Full token migration - looks strategic, steals the activation redesign
When to use this prompt
Use it when
- You need help with pms.
- You need help with team leads.
- You need help with solo operators.
Skip it when
- You only need a one-line ask with no constraints, format, or context.
- You cannot supply the fill-in details the template asks for.
- A different category or tool-specific workflow fits the job better.
How to get a good result
Done when
Clarifying (none blocking - estimates present). Ranking with given estimates. 1. Ranked list 1. Board metrics narrative (3h) - hard Thursday deadline; high urgency, low effort 2. CSV export bug (5h) - enterprise trust + Friday promise; high impact/urgency 3. Onboarding checklist redesign (8h) - direct activation OKR; high impact 4. Hiring scorecard (3h) - supports capacity later; medium impact, flexible timing 5. Mobile nav critique reply (2h) - unblocks others; small effort 6. AI summary spike (6h) - CEO interest but not theme-critical this week 7. Storybook cleanup (4h) - hygiene / busywork vs activation 8. Design token migration (10h) - large, non-urgent; crowds out OKR work 2. Committed this week (20h) - Board narrative - 3h - CSV export fix - 5h - Onboarding checklist redesign - 8h - Mobile nav critique reply - 2h - Hiring scorecard - 2h (partial; finish next week if needed) Total 20h 3. Won't-do this week - AI summary spike - Storybook cleanup - Design token migration (remainder) - Hiring scorecard polish beyond 2h 4. Fake priorities - Storybook cleanup - tidy work dressed as progress - AI summary spike - executive curiosity without activation/enterprise link this week - Full token migration - looks strategic, steals the activation redesign
Common mistakes
- Leaving items, capacity, theme vague - the model then invents placeholders.
- Asking ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for a shorter answer after a long structured prompt - that throws away the format rules.
- Stopping when the first draft appears instead of checking it against the success criteria below.
FAQ
- What do I fill in before I copy this prompt?
- Replace these placeholders with your details: items, capacity, theme, deadlines. Required fields are marked on the page. The prompt text updates as you type.
- Which AI tools is this prompt written for?
- It works best with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini. Copy the filled prompt and paste it into the tool you already use.
- What should a good result look like?
- Clarifying (none blocking - estimates present). Ranking with given estimates. 1. Ranked list 1. Board metrics narrative (3h) - hard Thursday deadline; high urgency, low effort 2. CSV export bug (5h) - enterprise trust + Friday promise; high impact/urgency 3. Onboarding checklist redesign (8h) - direct activation OKR; high impact 4. Hiring scorecard (3h) - supports capacity later; medium impact, flexible timing 5. Mobile nav critique reply (2h) - unblocks others; small effort 6. AI summary sp…
- What are common mistakes with this prompt?
- Leaving items, capacity, theme vague - the model then invents placeholders. Asking ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for a shorter answer after a long structured prompt - that throws away the format rules. Stopping when the first draft appears instead of checking it against the success criteria below.
Best for
- PMs
- Team leads
- Solo operators
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