Product Management · 9 min

Evaluate and prioritize a product backlog of 20 features using RICE scoring and strategic alignment criteria

Archetype: Critic Tier 2

Context

A B2B SaaS product team has accumulated a backlog of 20 feature requests from customers, sales, and internal stakeholders. The product manager must evaluate and prioritize these features using a systematic scoring methodology that the leadership team can review, challenge, and approve for the next two quarterly planning cycles.

Before (Unstructured)

"Evaluate and prioritize a product backlog of 20 features using RICE scoring."

What is missing

× No product context — what product, what stage, what strategy?
× No stakeholder perspective or decision authority defined
× RICE mentioned but no calibration criteria for scoring
× No strategic alignment criteria beyond RICE
× No output format — spreadsheet, document, presentation?

After (MOTIVE-Structured)

[M] Motivation

As the product manager for a B2B SaaS analytics platform with 200 enterprise customers, I need to prioritize a 20-feature backlog because leadership requires a data-driven roadmap recommendation for Q1-Q2 planning, and we must balance customer retention, growth, and technical debt.

[O] Object

Deliver a prioritized feature list with RICE scores, strategic alignment ratings, and a recommended Q1-Q2 roadmap split. Success criteria: (1) All 20 features scored on identical criteria, (2) Top 5 and bottom 5 features justified with rationale, (3) Resource requirements estimated per feature.

[T] Tool

Use RICE scoring framework (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) with standardized scales. Add strategic alignment scoring against the company's 3 annual OKRs. Reference Kano model for feature categorization (must-have, performance, delighter).

[I] Instruction

1. Score each feature on RICE dimensions using defined scales (Reach: users/quarter, Impact: 0.25-3x, Confidence: 50-100%, Effort: person-months). 2. Rate strategic alignment against 3 OKRs (0-3 scale each). 3. Calculate composite priority score. 4. Categorize using Kano model. 5. Recommend Q1 vs Q2 allocation. If customer demand data is unavailable, use sales team estimates and flag confidence as 50%.

[V] Variables

Product: B2B analytics dashboard. Customers: 200 enterprise. Team capacity: 12 engineers, 6 person-months per quarter. Annual OKRs: (1) Reduce churn by 15%, (2) Increase ACV by 20%, (3) Achieve SOC 2 Type II compliance. Audience: VP Product, CTO, CEO. Format: Scored spreadsheet with summary memo. Exclude: Infrastructure-only items (separate backlog), features requiring new hires.

Output Comparison

Before Output

Here are the 20 features ranked by RICE score. Feature 1 has the highest score because it reaches many users. Feature 2 is important for growth. Feature 3 addresses customer feedback. You should prioritize the top features first and consider the lower ones later.

Show full output

Here are the 20 features ranked by RICE score. I've evaluated each feature based on its potential reach, impact, confidence level, and effort required. The ranking gives you a clear picture of which features should be prioritized. Feature 1 has the highest score because it reaches many users and has significant impact. Feature 2 is important for growth and was requested by several large customers. Feature 3 addresses common customer feedback and could help reduce churn. The middle-ranked features (4-12) are all reasonably valuable but don't stand out as strongly on any single dimension. They could be worked on after the top priorities are addressed. Some of these features might be combined or simplified to reduce effort. For the lower-ranked features (13-20), I'd recommend deferring them to a future quarter. They either have limited reach, uncertain impact, or would require significant engineering effort relative to their benefits. You should prioritize the top features first and consider the lower ones later as resources become available.

After Output

Feature #3: Advanced Role-Based Access Control. RICE: Reach 180 users/Q (90%), Impact 2x, Confidence 90%, Effort 2 PM. RICE Score: 162. Strategic Alignment: OKR1 (churn) 3/3, OKR2 (ACV) 2/3, OKR3 (SOC2) 3/3. Alignment Score: 8/9. Kano: Must-have. Composite Rank: #1. Rationale: Highest alignment with SOC 2 compliance (OKR3, deadline Q2) and directly addresses top churn reason (cited by 34% of churned accounts). Recommended: Q1 sprint 1-2.

Show full output

**B2B Analytics Platform — Prioritized Feature Backlog (Q1-Q2 Roadmap Recommendation)** **Scoring Methodology:** Each feature scored on 4 RICE dimensions (Reach: users/quarter as % of 200 customers; Impact: 0.25x-3x multiplier; Confidence: 50-100% based on data quality; Effort: person-months). RICE Score = (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort. Strategic Alignment scored 0-3 against each of 3 OKRs (max 9). Kano categorization: Must-have, Performance, or Delighter. Composite Rank = weighted blend (RICE 50%, Strategic Alignment 40%, Kano priority 10%). **Top 5 Features (Q1 Recommended):** Rank #1 — Advanced Role-Based Access Control. RICE: Reach 180 users/Q (90%), Impact 2x, Confidence 90%, Effort 2 PM. RICE Score: 162. Strategic Alignment: OKR1 (churn) 3/3, OKR2 (ACV) 2/3, OKR3 (SOC2) 3/3. Alignment Score: 8/9. Kano: Must-have. Rationale: Highest alignment with SOC 2 compliance (OKR3, deadline Q2) and directly addresses the top churn reason (cited by 34% of churned accounts). Recommended: Q1 sprint 1-2. Rank #2 — Audit Trail & Compliance Logging. RICE Score: 144. Alignment: 7/9. Kano: Must-have. SOC 2 Type II blocker — without this, OKR3 fails. Recommended: Q1 sprint 2-3. Rank #3 — Custom Dashboard Builder. RICE Score: 135. Alignment: 6/9. Kano: Performance. Top-requested feature by ACV $100K+ accounts; directly enables ACV expansion (OKR2). Recommended: Q1 sprint 3-4. Rank #4 — SSO/SAML Integration. RICE Score: 128. Alignment: 7/9. Kano: Must-have. Enterprise procurement blocker for 23 pipeline deals totaling $890K ACV. Recommended: Q1 sprint 4-5. Rank #5 — Automated Anomaly Alerts. RICE Score: 118. Alignment: 5/9. Kano: Delighter. High differentiation potential with 72% survey interest from existing users. Recommended: Q1 sprint 5-6. **Bottom 5 Features (Deferred / Deprioritized):** Rank #16 — Dark Mode UI. RICE Score: 22. Alignment: 0/9. Kano: Delighter. No strategic linkage; defer indefinitely. Rank #17 — CSV Bulk Import. RICE Score: 19. Alignment: 1/9. Confidence: 50% (sales estimate only). Defer pending customer validation. Rank #18 — Mobile App (Read-Only). RICE Score: 15. Alignment: 1/9. Effort: 8 PM. Resource-intensive with no OKR linkage. Reject for Q1-Q2. Rank #19 — Slack Bot Integration. RICE Score: 12. Alignment: 0/9. Low reach (estimated 15% adoption). Defer. Rank #20 — Multi-language Support. RICE Score: 8. Alignment: 1/9. Effort: 6 PM. Only relevant for international expansion not in current OKRs. Reject for Q1-Q2. **Resource Allocation:** Q1 capacity: 6 PM across 12 engineers. Features #1-5 consume 5.5 PM, leaving 0.5 PM buffer for technical debt. Q2 capacity: Features #6-10 recommended, consuming 5.8 PM. Sprint-level breakdown attached in Appendix A. Dependency chain: Feature #2 (Audit Trail) must ship before Feature #1 (RBAC) for SOC 2 audit readiness — reverse the build order, not the priority order.

Evaluation Scores

Average Before

2/5

Average After

4.5/5

Improvement

+125%

Before MOTIVE (1-5)

After MOTIVE (1-5)

Key Improvement

The Tool component produced the largest impact by combining RICE scoring with OKR strategic alignment and Kano categorization — transforming a one-dimensional ranking into a multi-criteria decision framework that directly connects feature priority to business outcomes.