What this template is for
In a typical sprint, every task shares the same deadline. Traditional boards leave you staring at a flat backlog, deciding what to pick up next. This template shows how Klara's algorithm automatically sorts sprint work by combining deadline proximity, effort size, and importance -- even when the deadline is identical for every task.
It is designed for developers, designers, and product teams running 2-week sprints.
Example tasks
| Task | Importance | Effort | Deadline | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement user authentication flow | 5 | Days | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Fix payment processing bug | 5 | Hours | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Write API documentation | 3 | Days | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Add unit tests for checkout module | 4 | Days | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Design settings page mockup | 3 | Hours | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Refactor database queries | 4 | Days | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Update CI/CD pipeline | 2 | Hours | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
| Review and merge open pull requests | 3 | Hours | Sprint end (10 days) | -- |
How Klara handles these tasks
With all eight tasks sharing a 10-day deadline, you might expect them to clump together. They do not. Klara separates them clearly using effort and importance.
Consider the two importance-5 tasks at sprint start. The auth flow requires days of work, while the payment bug takes only hours. Both are equally important, but the auth flow needs a much larger share of the remaining time to get done. It is genuinely more time-pressured, so it claims "Do now."
The payment bug, despite being equally important, can be finished quickly at any point during the sprint. It lands in "Later" -- a quick fix with 10 days of runway is not urgent yet.
The remaining six tasks spread across the project based on their combination of importance and effort. "Add unit tests" and "Refactor database queries" (importance 4, Days effort) form the next tier. "Write API documentation" and "Design settings page mockup" (importance 3) fall into "Maybe." "Update CI/CD pipeline" (importance 2, Hours) sits in "Skip it."
As you complete tasks through the sprint, the balance shifts. Finishing the auth flow removes it from the ranking. The remaining seven tasks redistribute, and the payment bug -- still importance 5 -- rises to "Do now." Mid-sprint, when only 5 days remain, the multi-day tasks start feeling the pressure. Tasks that were comfortable in "Later" begin moving toward "Do now."
By the final two days, even quick tasks see meaningful urgency. Klara naturally creates a sense of increasing pressure that matches the sprint cadence.
Tips for customizing
- Set your sprint end date as the actual deadline for all tasks. Do not pad it. The algorithm accounts for effort size, so a Days-effort task will surface early enough.
- If your team uses story points, map them to effort levels: 1-2 points = Hours, 3-5 points = Days, 8+ points = Weeks. This gives the algorithm a realistic effort estimate.
- Add a recurring "Sprint standup prep" task (importance 3, effort Minutes, daily) to keep daily check-ins in your project alongside the sprint work.