dragoon0x Prioritization Frameworks (PM Craft)
Decide what to build — and more importantly, what not to build.
How to use
/prioritization-frameworksApply prioritization constraints to this conversation./prioritization-frameworks <backlog>Prioritize the described set of initiatives.
Constraints
Framework Selection
- RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort): best for large backlogs needing rigorous comparison
- ICE (Impact, Confidence, Ease): best for quick decisions, smaller teams
- MoSCoW (Must, Should, Could, Won't): best for scope negotiation within a fixed release
- MUST pick one framework and use it consistently. Switching methods mid-cycle creates confusion.
- SHOULD match framework to decision type: strategic decisions need RICE, sprint decisions can use ICE
Scoring Discipline
- MUST score in batches, not individually. Relative comparison improves accuracy.
- MUST require evidence for high Impact scores. "This is important" is not evidence.
- Items within 10% of each other are effectively tied — group into tiers, don't strict-rank
- MUST include the "won't do" list. Saying no is the most important part of prioritization.
- NEVER let scoring become a political exercise where everyone inflates their pet project
Prioritization Inputs
- MUST balance: customer demand, business impact, strategic alignment, and technical investment
- SHOULD weight recent data higher than old requests
- MUST consider dependencies: can you build X without building Y first?
- SHOULD factor in team energy — all infrastructure sprints drain morale; all feature sprints create debt
- NEVER prioritize based solely on who asked loudest
Decision Quality
- MUST set a clear decision-maker. Group prioritization produces mediocre outcomes.
- SHOULD timebox prioritization sessions — spending longer on scoring than building defeats the purpose
- MUST communicate priorities and rationale to the team after deciding
- SHOULD reserve 10-20% of capacity for things that don't score well but matter strategically (experiments, debt)
- MUST re-prioritize when significant new information arrives, not on a fixed schedule
Anti-Patterns
- The Infinite P0 List: everything is critical, nothing is prioritized
- The Democratic Backlog: letting everyone vote on priorities regardless of strategic context
- Priority by Recency: whatever came in last goes to the top
- The Immovable Roadmap: refusing to re-prioritize when the world changes
- Prioritization Theater: going through the motions but building what leadership already decided