# Feature Prioritization Framework

**Framework:** RICE scoring (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort)  
**Use for:** Comparing and ranking feature candidates to inform roadmap decisions  
**Time required:** 60–90 minutes

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## How to use this template

1. Gather your feature candidates before scoring — don't score as you brainstorm, or recency bias will skew the list.
2. Score each candidate using the RICE guide below. Assign scores independently before discussing as a group.
3. Use RICE score as a starting point, not a final answer — strategic fit can override pure math.
4. Fill in the "What we're NOT building" section last, and share it with stakeholders — it prevents re-litigation.
5. Revisit this ranking whenever strategy, resources, or market conditions change. Stale rankings are worse than no rankings.

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## Header

| Field | Details |
|-------|---------|
| Product / Team | [Product name or team] |
| Date | [Date] |
| Decision Needed By | [Date when roadmap must be finalized] |
| Facilitator | [Name] |

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## RICE Scoring Guide

**RICE Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort**

| Factor | What It Measures | How to Score |
|--------|----------------|-------------|
| **Reach** | How many users will this affect per quarter? | Estimate number of users impacted (e.g., 500, 2000, 10000) |
| **Impact** | How much will this improve outcomes per user? | 3 = massive, 2 = significant, 1 = moderate, 0.5 = low, 0.25 = minimal |
| **Confidence** | How confident are you in your Reach and Impact estimates? | 100% = high evidence, 80% = some evidence, 50% = gut feel |
| **Effort** | How many person-weeks will this take end-to-end? | Estimate total person-weeks across all functions |

*Higher RICE score = higher expected ROI per unit of effort. A score of 1000 means the feature reaches 1000 users at significant impact with high confidence for one week of work.*

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## Feature Candidates

| Feature | Description | Reach | Impact | Confidence | Effort (person-wks) | RICE Score | Strategic Fit (H/M/L) |
|---------|-------------|-------|--------|------------|---------------------|------------|----------------------|
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |
| [Feature name] | [One-sentence description] | [#] | [0.25–3] | [50/80/100%] | [#] | [Calculate] | [H / M / L] |

*RICE Score formula: (Reach × Impact × Confidence%) / Effort*

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## Constraints and Considerations

*Document before ranking. These are the guardrails that shape which items can even be considered.*

We cannot prioritize items that [describe hard constraints — e.g., require infrastructure we don't have, conflict with regulatory requirements, depend on a team that's unavailable].

We must consider [any non-negotiable factors — e.g., contractual commitments, security requirements, competitive response timelines].

Our capacity constraint this quarter is [X person-weeks / headcount]. Items totaling more than [Y person-weeks] cannot all fit.

---

## Dependencies Map

| Feature | Depends On | Team Responsible | Estimated Availability |
|---------|-----------|-----------------|----------------------|
| [Feature] | [What it needs to exist first] | [Team] | [Date or quarter] |
| [Feature] | [What it needs to exist first] | [Team] | [Date or quarter] |
| [Feature] | [What it needs to exist first] | [Team] | [Date or quarter] |

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## Final Ranking

*Sorted by priority after applying RICE score + strategic fit + constraints.*

| Rank | Feature | RICE Score | Decision | Owner | Target Quarter |
|------|---------|------------|----------|-------|----------------|
| 1 | [Feature] | [Score] | Build | [Name] | [Q# Year] |
| 2 | [Feature] | [Score] | Build | [Name] | [Q# Year] |
| 3 | [Feature] | [Score] | Build | [Name] | [Q# Year] |
| 4 | [Feature] | [Score] | Hold | [Name] | [Revisit date] |
| 5 | [Feature] | [Score] | Hold | [Name] | [Revisit date] |
| 6 | [Feature] | [Score] | Kill | [Name] | — |
| 7 | [Feature] | [Score] | Kill | [Name] | — |

**Decision key:** Build = committed this planning period | Hold = good idea, not now | Kill = not worth pursuing, removing from backlog

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## What We Are NOT Building (and Why)

*This section is as important as the prioritized list. Share it with stakeholders to prevent re-litigation.*

| Feature / Idea | Reason Not Prioritized | Who to Tell |
|----------------|----------------------|-------------|
| [Feature name] | [Honest reason — low RICE, dependency not ready, doesn't fit strategy] | [Stakeholder or team] |
| [Feature name] | [Reason] | [Stakeholder] |
| [Feature name] | [Reason] | [Stakeholder] |

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*Prioritization is not a one-time activity — revisit whenever strategy, resources, or market conditions change. RICE is covered in depth at biztechprimer.com.*