---
name: prioritization-frameworks
invocation: [auto, chain]
tier: standard
description: "Reference guide to 9 prioritization frameworks with formulas, when-to-use guidance, and templates — RICE, ICE, Kano, MoSCoW, Opportunity Score, and more."
triggers: [prioritize, prioritization, rice, ice, kano, moscow, opportunity score]
priority: 50
chain-next: [create-prd]
---

# Prioritization Frameworks Reference

> Based on the Product Frameworks Compendium from [Product Compass](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/the-product-frameworks-compendium) by Pawel Huryn (MIT License).

A reference guide to help you select and apply the right prioritization framework for your context.

## Core Principle

Never allow customers to design solutions. Prioritize **problems (opportunities)**, not features.

## Opportunity Score (Dan Olsen, *The Lean Product Playbook*)

The recommended framework for prioritizing customer problems.

Survey customers on **Importance** and **Satisfaction** for each need (normalize to 0-1 scale).

Three related formulas:
- **Current value** = Importance x Satisfaction
- **Opportunity Score** = Importance x (1 - Satisfaction)
- **Customer value created** = Importance x (S2 - S1), where S1 = satisfaction before, S2 = satisfaction after

High Importance + low Satisfaction = highest Opportunity Score = best opportunities. Plot on an Importance vs Satisfaction chart — upper-left quadrant is the sweet spot.

## ICE Framework

Useful for prioritizing initiatives and ideas. Considers not only value but also risk and economic factors.

- **I** (Impact) = Opportunity Score x Number of Customers affected
- **C** (Confidence) = How confident are we? (1-10). Accounts for risk.
- **E** (Ease) = How easy is it to implement? (1-10). Accounts for economic factors.

**Score** = I x C x E. Higher = prioritize first.

## RICE Framework

Splits ICE's Impact into two separate factors. Useful for larger teams that need more granularity.

- **R** (Reach) = Number of customers affected
- **I** (Impact) = Opportunity Score (value per customer)
- **C** (Confidence) = How confident are we? (0-100%)
- **E** (Effort) = How much effort to implement? (person-months)

**Score** = (R x I x C) / E

## 9 Frameworks Overview

| Framework | Best For | Key Insight |
|-----------|----------|-------------|
| Eisenhower Matrix | Personal tasks | Urgent vs Important — for individual PM task management |
| Impact vs Effort | Tasks/initiatives | Simple 2x2 — quick triage, not rigorous for strategic decisions |
| Risk vs Reward | Initiatives | Like Impact vs Effort but accounts for uncertainty |
| **Opportunity Score** | Customer problems | **Recommended.** Importance x (1 - Satisfaction). Normalize to 0-1. |
| Kano Model | Understanding expectations | Must-be, Performance, Attractive, Indifferent, Reverse. For understanding, not prioritizing. |
| Weighted Decision Matrix | Multi-factor decisions | Assign weights to criteria, score each option. Useful for stakeholder buy-in. |
| **ICE** | Ideas/initiatives | Impact x Confidence x Ease. Recommended for quick prioritization. |
| **RICE** | Ideas at scale | (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort. Adds Reach to ICE. |
| MoSCoW | Requirements | Must/Should/Could/Won't. Caution: project management origin. |

## How to Choose

1. **Prioritizing customer problems?** → Opportunity Score
2. **Quick initiative ranking?** → ICE
3. **Large team with data?** → RICE
4. **Understanding user expectations?** → Kano Model
5. **Stakeholder alignment needed?** → Weighted Decision Matrix
6. **Requirements scoping?** → MoSCoW (with caution)

## Templates

- [Opportunity Score intro (PDF)](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ENbYPmk1i1AKO7UnfyTuULL5GucTVufW/view)
- [Importance vs Satisfaction Template (Google Slides)](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jg-LuF_3QHsf6f1nE1f98i4C0aulnRNMOO1jftgti8M/edit#slide=id.g796641d975_0_3)
- [ICE Template (Google Sheets)](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LUfnsPolhZgm7X2oij-7EUe0CJT-Dwr-/edit?usp=share_link)
- [RICE Template (Google Sheets)](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S-6QpyOz5MCrV7B67LUWdZkAzn38Eahv/edit?usp=sharing)

## Further Reading

- [The Product Management Frameworks Compendium + Templates](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/the-product-frameworks-compendium)
- [Kano Model: How to Delight Your Customers Without Becoming a Feature Factory](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/kano-model-how-to-delight-your-customers)
