Prioritization Frameworks

Defensible ways to order a backlog and decide what's in vs out.

• RICE: (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort. A single comparable priority score; forces you to estimate each factor.
• Kano Model: Features map to Basic (expected — absence angers), Performance (linear satisfaction), and Delighters (exciters — unexpected joy). Delighters decay into Basics over time, so keep finding new ones.
• MoSCoW: Must / Should / Could / Won't have. Fast, coarse, good for scoping a release with stakeholders.
• Value vs Effort (2×2): Quick wins (high value / low effort) vs big bets vs time-sinks vs fill-ins. The fastest visual triage.

How to apply

• Use Value vs Effort for a 5-minute triage; promote RICE when you need a defensible number.
• Kano answers a different question — not "what first" but "what kind": ship all Basics, pick a few Performance levers, add one Delighter.
• MoSCoW "Won't" is the most valuable column — it makes cuts explicit. Park, don't delete.
• Quick wins first to build momentum; sequence one big bet behind them.