NioPD ST rice

RICE Prioritization Skill

This skill applies the RICE framework (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) to systematically prioritize features, initiatives, or projects.

Theoretical Foundation

Origin

RICE was developed by Intercom as a systematic way to prioritize features in a product backlog, combining quantitative assessment with structured effort estimation.

The RICE Formula

RICE Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort

Factor	Definition	Scale
Reach	How many customers affected in time period	Number (e.g., users/quarter)
Impact	How much will it improve outcomes	0.25-3 (Minimal to Massive)
Confidence	How sure are we of estimates	20%-100%
Effort	Person-months to complete	Number

Impact Scale

• 3 = Massive impact
• 2 = High impact
• 1 = Medium impact
• 0.5 = Low impact
• 0.25 = Minimal impact

When to Use

• Roadmap planning sessions
• Sprint prioritization
• Feature request evaluation
• Resource allocation decisions
• Stakeholder alignment

Instructions

Step 1: Gather Items

List all features/initiatives to prioritize from:

• Backlog
• Feedback analysis
• Strategic initiatives
• Stakeholder requests

Step 2: Score Reach

For each item:

• "How many customers will this affect in [quarter/month]?"
• Use actual data when available
• Estimate when necessary

Step 3: Score Impact

For each item:

• "How much will this improve outcomes for affected users?"
• Use 0.25-3 scale
• Consider metrics movement

Step 4: Score Confidence

For each item:

• "How confident are we in Reach and Impact estimates?"
• 100% = High certainty (data-backed)
• 80% = Medium (educated guess)
• 50% = Low (speculation)

Step 5: Estimate Effort

For each item:

• "How many person-months to complete?"
• Include design, dev, QA, launch
• Use team input when possible

Step 6: Calculate Scores

Apply formula:

Feature	Reach	Impact	Confidence	Effort	Score
[F1]	10,000	2	80%	3	5,333
[F2]	5,000	3	50%	2	3,750

Step 7: Rank and Discuss

• Sort by RICE score descending
• Discuss outliers and concerns
• Consider strategic alignment
• Make final priority decisions

Step 8: Generate Report

File path: 02-reports/[YYYYMMDD]-rice-prioritization-v0.md

Contents:

1. Prioritized list with scores
2. Methodology notes
3. Key decisions made
4. Next steps

Output Specifications

• File Naming: [YYYYMMDD]-rice-prioritization-v0.md
• Location: 02-reports/
• Template: references/rice-template.md

Related Skills

• niopd-st-moscow: Alternative prioritization
• niopd-ur-kano: Satisfaction-based categorization
• niopd-pd-roadmap: Roadmap creation
• niopd-bs-feature-planning: Feature ideation