# Priority required before triage exit

> Force every issue to leave triage with an explicit priority so the backlog stops pretending all accepted work matters equally.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/priority-required-before-triage-exit/
- Source: [linear.app](https://linear.app/docs/triage)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Linear Docs](/sources/linear-docs-linear-app/)
- Last checked: 2026-05-28
- Rarity: rare
- Budget: free
- Channels: Product, Support, Operations
- Stages: prioritization, triage, ops hygiene, roadmap quality


## Why this can grow

A queue feels organized when issues move quickly, but speed can hide weak judgment. Requiring priority before an issue exits triage forces the team to say what kind of problem this is while the evidence is still visible. That makes handoffs cleaner for engineering, support, and customer teams because the backlog carries a decision, not just a timestamp.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. My bias is to treat this as a small market test first. Make the audience narrow, make the promise concrete, and let the first real response decide whether it deserves more work. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where priority required before triage exit can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the Product and Support channel.
3. Use the evidence from linear.app to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

Linear's Triage docs say teams can configure a rule in Team Settings so priority must be set before an issue leaves Triage.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [Triage responsibility rotation linked to on-call schedules](/growth-ideas/triage-responsibility-rotation-linked-to-on-call-schedules/) - same source, 3 shared channels, 2 shared stages
- [Snoozed triage that returns on new activity](/growth-ideas/snoozed-triage-returns-on-new-activity/) - same source, 3 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Dedicated feedback team for customer request intake](/growth-ideas/dedicated-feedback-team-for-customer-request-intake/) - same source, 2 shared channels, 1 shared stage
- [Customer email-domain auto-mapping for feedback identity](/growth-ideas/customer-email-domain-auto-mapping-for-feedback-identity/) - same source, 2 shared channels, 1 shared stage

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [The queue gets clearer when done means shipped](/blog/the-queue-gets-clearer-when-done-means-shipped/) - support-led growth, product operations, brand trust

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.