What is Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF)?

Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) is a prioritization method often used in Agile and SAFe, which helps determine which tasks or features should be executed first to maximize value.

WSJF formula:

[ WSJF = \frac{Cost of Delay}{Job Duration} ]

Where:

• Cost of Delay (CoD) — the cost of delaying the task, i.e., how much delaying the task will impact the business (loss of revenue, deterioration of user experience, etc.).
• Job Duration — the time or effort required to complete the task.

The idea is to prioritize tasks with the highest ratio of delay cost to duration, i.e., those that deliver the maximum value in the shortest time.

Example:

Task	Cost of Delay	Job Duration	WSJF = CoD / Duration
A	100	5	20
B	80	2	40

Task B has a higher WSJF and should be executed earlier, despite having a lower absolute cost of delay, because it is faster and provides greater value relative to time.