Step 04 of 07 · Product · free

RICE Scoring

Build the right thing first — then build it right. RICE is the most-used framework for ranking what to build next, by founders who've shipped enough to know that gut instinct is wrong about half the time.

Instructions: List every feature, fix, or initiative you are weighing. For each, estimate its Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort — the tool scores it as (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort. Sort by score, read the verdict at the end, and save the worksheet as a PDF. Remember — RICE ranks your options, but it does not validate them; the score is only as good as your estimates.

Already mid-flight? You can run this compass on its own — it doesn't need the earlier stages first. To follow the full sequence, start at Purpose.

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The formula

Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort

  • Reach — how many people this affects per quarter (or whatever period works for you).
  • Impact — how much it changes for each person. Massive=3, High=2, Medium=1, Low=0.5, Minimal=0.25.
  • Confidence — how sure you are about the estimates. High=100%, Medium=80%, Low=50%.
  • Effort — person-months to build. The same unit across every feature.
1Score the features2Your read
1

Score the features

#1

Score

3000

#2

Score

160.0

#3

Score

64.00

2

Your build read

Build “Fix slow load on dashboard” first.

It scores clearly ahead of the rest. RICE has done its job — it ranked your options against each other.

But RICE only ranks; it does not validate. The score is only as good as your Reach and Effort estimates — sanity-check those before you commit.

“Save as PDF” opens your browser's print dialog — choose Save as PDF as the destination to keep a copy. Your work also stays in this browser automatically.

Your turn

Rate the Product compass