Prioritization Frameworks Reference

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 × Satisfaction

• Opportunity Score = Importance × (1 − Satisfaction)

• Customer value created = Importance × (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. Prioritizes customer problems, not solutions.

ICE Framework

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

• I (Impact) = Opportunity Score × 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 × C × 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 × I × 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 2×2 — 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 × (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 × Confidence × Ease. Recommended for quick prioritization.

RICE Ideas at scale (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort. Adds Reach to ICE.

MoSCoW Requirements Must/Should/Could/Won't. Caution: project management origin.

Templates

• Opportunity Score intro (PDF)

• Importance vs Satisfaction Template — Dan Olsen (Google Slides)

• ICE Template (Google Sheets)

• RICE Template (Google Sheets)

Further Reading

• The Product Management Frameworks Compendium + Templates

• Kano Model: How to Delight Your Customers Without Becoming a Feature Factory

• Continuous Product Discovery Masterclass (CPDM) (video course)