RICE
torben haack [t128n]
May 2, 2026
RICE is a prioritization model for comparing roadmap candidates with the same planning horizon.
Higher scores suggest stronger relative priority, assuming the inputs are estimated consistently.
Formula
$$ \frac{R \times I \times C}{E} $$
| Symbol | Input | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| R | Reach | Number of affected entities in a time period |
| I | Impact | Expected improvement for each affected entity |
| C | Confidence | Certainty in the reach and impact estimates |
| E | Effort | Total work required to deliver the project |
Inputs
| Input | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | Entities per time period | Use a consistent period, such as users per month or transactions per day. |
| Impact | Numeric scale | Use one scale across all candidates. A 1-5 scale keeps scoring simple. |
| Confidence | Percentage | Use 0-100% as a multiplier. Lower confidence reduces speculative scores. |
| Effort | Time or capacity | Include research, design, development, testing, launch, and coordination. |
Example
| Project | Reach | Impact | Confidence | Effort | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add dark mode | 1,000 | 3 | 80% | 2 | 1,200 |
| Refactor codebase | 500 | 4 | 70% | 4 | 350 |
| Add new feature | 2,000 | 5 | 60% | 6 | 1,000 |
The example assumes reach is measured in users per month and effort is measured in person-weeks.
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