# Prioritization Frameworks

> Apply structured prioritization methods (RICE, value vs effort, MoSCoW, Kano, opportunity scoring, etc.) to make transparent, defensible product trade-offs. Use when ranking roadmap items, features, bugs, or opportunities under constrained resources.

- Skill: `itsual/prioritization-frameworks` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add itsual/prioritization-frameworks`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/itsual/prioritization-frameworks/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: itsual (https://skillmd.com/u/itsual)
- Updated: 2026-09-21
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/itsual/prioritization-frameworks

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# Prioritization Frameworks

## Overview

Prioritization is continuous and political. Frameworks do not remove judgment; they make assumptions visible and discussions more productive.

## When to Use

- Building or revising a roadmap
- Ranking a backlog of opportunities or features
- Resolving competing stakeholder requests
- Communicating why something is (or is not) being done

## Common Frameworks

- **RICE** — Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort
- **Value vs Effort** — Simple 2x2 for quick triage
- **MoSCoW** — Must / Should / Could / Won’t
- **Kano** — Basic / Performance / Delighters
- **Opportunity Scoring** — Importance vs satisfaction gaps
- **Cost of Delay** — Economic framing of urgency

## Principles

- Make scoring criteria and assumptions explicit
- Involve the right people; prioritization is a team sport
- Revisit scores when new evidence appears
- Don’t let the framework become bureaucracy — use the lightest method that improves decisions
- Separate “now” from “later” and from “never”

## Verification

- [ ] Criteria and scores are understandable to stakeholders
- [ ] Top priorities have clear rationale
- [ ] Deprioritized items are acknowledged, not silently dropped