You're selecting the top three opportunities that should be executed next. This answers: What should we do first, second, and third—no debate.
Step 1: Start With the Matrix
Only consider opportunities in:
- Quick Wins
- High-Value Big Bets
Ignore Fill-Ins and Avoid items.
Step 2: Rank by Business Logic
For each candidate, compare:
- ROI strength
- Implementation difficulty
- Risk level
- Time to visible impact
Rank them against each other, not in isolation.
Step 3: Force a Decision
Rules:
- Exactly three items
- No ties
- No "honorable mentions"
If two are close, pick the simpler one.
Step 4: Assign a Clear Order
Label them:
- Priority #1
- Priority #2
- Priority #3
Order reflects execution sequence, not just value.
Step 5: Write the One-Line Why
For each priority, write:
- Why this was chosen
- What problem it solves
- Why now
Keep it to one sentence.
What You Should Have Now
✅ Top 3 Opportunity List
✅ Forced ranking
✅ One-line justification per item
Quality Check
- Only three opportunities selected
- Ranking is defensible
- Logic is consistent
- Focus is obvious
Next Step: With the top 3 selected, you're ready to build the 90-day roadmap.
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