Dai Clegg - Creator of the MoSCoW Method - airfocus Product Hero

Who is Dai Clegg?

Dai Clegg, the creator of the MoSCoW method, began his technical career sometime in the early 1980s. While Clegg could have easily moved through a more traditional career path, he instead saw several opportunities for innovation in his early roles. This led him to create important tools for software and business that would push him to great heights.

One of the first achievements in Clegg's career was his role as an innovator in CASE tooling. CASE, short for computer-aided software engineering, refers to a set of tools that help in database design.

Dai was also an integral part of the team that developed UML, or the universal modeling language.

Eventually, Clegg would go on to create the MoSCoW method, which is likely his most well-known accomplishment to date.

What is Dai Clegg known for?

Dai Clegg is primarily known for the MoSCoW method, which is a tool used in project development to prioritize features and milestones. This tool is extremely popular, particularly among teams with an agile workflow.

Another of Dai's major accomplishments is the CASE tooling system. CASE is a schema used to represent database systems in design. Database systems are usually so complex, they are nearly impossible to represent using traditional design strategies. The CASE system solves this problem, easing the burden on engineers and making it easier for teams to communicate.

Clegg also had a hand in creating the UML, or the universal modeling language. Built on object-oriented programming, UML serves as a way to structure and understand software. Programming teams can use it to both design software and then communicate easily to a non-coder how the software and application work.

What is the MoSCoW method?

The MoSCoW method, also known as the MoSCoW prioritization method, is a technique used to prioritize the various requirements of a project. The project could be something as simple as developing a mobile app or as complex as a startup.

This is part of what makes the MoSCoW method such a useful tool. It's incredibly versatile, and its principles can be applied to many different areas of business.

The name "MoSCoW method" is an acronym of the various components that make up the method: "Must have", "Should have", "Could have", and "Won't have".

Must have

The "Must haves" of the MoSCoW method is the milestones, features, or requirements that are essential to the success of a project. Without these features, the project is considered a failure. For example, the "Must haves" of a smartphone would be things like the battery, the touchscreen, and cellular connectivity.

Should have

The "Should haves" of the MoSCoW method is the features that are important, but not critical, for a project to be considered a success. They're the features you want to include but can afford to miss if absolutely necessary.

"Should haves" can be as important as "Must haves" but generally aren't as time or resource critical. If Should haves is skipped in the first phase of development, they are typically added later.

If you were labeling the "Should haves" of a smartphone, you might include features like a camera, WiFi connectivity, a modern operating system, and biometrics.

Could have

"Could have" requirements are requirements that would be nice to implement after you've finished implementing all of your "Should haves" and "Must haves". These are features you want to include as the icing on the cake, but you can just as easily consider the project a success without them.

In the smartphone analogy, "Could haves" includes things like a second camera, wireless charging, a bigger screen, and a second SIM card slot.

Won't have

Lastly, the MoSCoW method covers "Won't haves". These are features or milestones that stakeholders are barring from the project. Typically, these will be features or goals that have a poor ROI, will take away from other areas of development, are not possible within the given timeframe, or are simply not appropriate for the project at this time.

"Won't haves" might be implemented later, though this happens less often than it does with "Should haves" and "Could haves". In a smartphone, "Won't haves" might include a folding screen, a stylus, or a unique operating system.

What is big data?

Throughout his career, Dai Clegg has worked for some of the biggest companies in the world across multiple industries. This includes CSFB, AstraZeneca, CERN, Kellogg's, and British Gas. He's performed nearly every major role at these companies, from developer to director, consultant to the marketer.

In all of these roles, Clegg has been an advocate for big data and the impact it can have on a business's success. Big data refers to the pools of data that modern businesses collect. This includes internal data (such as trends, sales, inventory, performance, etc.) and external data (such as customers, audience, leads, performance, competitors, etc.).

How has Dai Clegg's work in big data changed business?

Big data is something that Dai Clegg has been a proponent of for a long time. In this area, Clegg has brought some of his experience from working on UML and CASE to the table.

Specifically, Clegg has advocated for businesses to not only implement big data but to rethink the way they structure and visualize that data. He believes that an essential point in the use of big data is the communication of it.