kazdenc Score and rank features or initiatives so teams build the highest-value things first.
Step 1: Gather the List
Collect the items to prioritize. If the user hasn't provided them, ask. Each item needs a clear, concise name and a one-sentence description of what it delivers.
Don't prioritize fewer than 3 items (just pick the best one) or more than 25 (split into themes first, then prioritize within each).
Step 2: Choose a Framework
Pick one based on what the team actually has available:
| If you have... | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Usage data, reach estimates, engineering sizing | RICE | Rigorous, accounts for confidence in your estimates |
| JTBD need statements with importance/satisfaction data | Opportunity scoring | Finds underserved needs directly |
| A large list and need a quick first pass | Impact/Effort matrix | Fast triage, no math required |
| Limited data but reasonable intuition | ICE | Lighter-weight RICE, moves fast |
If unsure, default to Impact/Effort matrix for triage, then apply RICE to the top-right quadrant.
Step 3: Score Each Item
RICE
Score each item on four dimensions, then calculate:
RICE Score = (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort
| Dimension | What it measures | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | How many users/accounts affected per quarter | Actual number (e.g., 500 users/quarter) |
| Impact | How much this moves the needle per user | 3 = massive, 2 = high, 1 = medium, 0.5 = low, 0.25 = minimal |
| Confidence | How sure you are about the above estimates | 100% = high, 80% = medium, 50% = low. Below 50% means you need research, not prioritization |
| Effort | Person-months of work | Actual estimate (e.g., 2 person-months) |
Opportunity Scoring
For each need identified through JTBD work:
Opportunity Score = Importance + max(Importance - Satisfaction, 0)
| Dimension | Scale |
|---|---|
| Importance | 1-10: How important is this need to the job performer? |
| Satisfaction | 1-10: How well do current solutions satisfy this need? |
Scores above 12 are strong opportunities. Scores above 15 are urgent.
Impact/Effort Matrix
Plot each item on a 2x2:
High Impact
|
Quick Wins | Big Bets
DO FIRST | PLAN CAREFULLY
-------------|-------------
Fill-ins | Money Pits
DO LAST | DON'T DO
|
Low Impact
Low Effort ------- High Effort
Score impact 1-5 and effort 1-5 if you want numbers. Otherwise, just place items on the grid.
ICE
ICE Score = Impact x Confidence x Ease
| Dimension | Scale |
|---|---|
| Impact | 1-10: How much will this move the target metric? |
| Confidence | 1-10: How sure are you about impact and ease? |
| Ease | 1-10: How easy is this to implement? (10 = trivial, 1 = months of work) |
Step 4: Rank and Present
Sort items by score descending. Present as a table:
| Rank | Item | Score | R | I | C | E | Rationale |
|------|------|-------|---|---|---|---|-----------|
| 1 | ... | ... | . | . | . | . | ... |
| 2 | ... | ... | . | . | . | . | ... |
Adapt columns to match the chosen framework. Always include the final score, component scores, and a brief rationale for each item.
Group results into tiers when scores cluster:
- Tier 1 — Build now. Clear leaders.
- Tier 2 — Build next. Strong but not urgent.
- Tier 3 — Build later or revisit. Low scores or low confidence.
Step 5: Sanity Check
After ranking, review the output critically:
- Does the top item actually feel like the top priority? If not, identify what the framework missed (strategic alignment, dependencies, political reality).
- Are there items with low confidence dragging down or inflating scores? Flag them separately as "needs research before prioritizing."
- Do dependencies change the order? Item #3 might need to ship before Item #1 can work.
- Is there a quick win in the top 5 that could ship this week? Call it out. Momentum matters.
When framework output and intuition disagree, don't just override the numbers. Name the disagreement explicitly: "RICE ranks X first, but the team believes Y is more urgent because [reason]." Then decide deliberately.
Output Format
Deliver:
- The framework chosen and why
- A scored, ranked table
- Tier groupings with recommended action (build now / build next / revisit)
- Any flags: low-confidence items, dependency issues, intuition mismatches