RICE Scoring Guide
What is RICE Scoring?
RICE is a prioritization framework that helps teams make data-driven decisions about which opportunities to pursue. It stands for:
- Reach: How many people will this impact?
- Impact: How much will it impact each person?
- Confidence: How confident are we in our estimates?
- Effort: How much work is required?
The RICE score is calculated as: (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort
Why Use RICE Scoring?
1. Objective Decision Making
Remove personal bias and make decisions based on data and team consensus.
2. Resource Optimization
Focus your limited resources on initiatives that deliver the most value.
3. Clear Communication
Provide stakeholders with transparent reasoning for prioritization decisions.
4. Balanced Evaluation
Consider both the potential benefits and the required investment.
The Value of RICE: Team Conversations
Important: RICE scoring is not about precise mathematics. The real value lies in the conversations it creates within your team. It's a framework for discussion, not a calculator for decisions. The structured approach helps teams:
- Align on what matters most
- Surface different perspectives
- Challenge assumptions
- Build consensus
Don't get caught up in decimal points – focus on the dialogue!
How to Use RICE Scoring in OST Hub
To keep things simple and encourage meaningful discussions, OST Hub uses dropdown values for each component:
Step 1: Define Reach
Select what percentage of your users will be impacted:
- 25% - A quarter of users
- 50% - Half of users
- 75% - Most users
- 100% - All users
Step 2: Assess Impact
Choose how much each person will be affected:
- 25% - Minor - Small improvement, nice to have
- 50% - Noticeable - Clear improvement in experience
- 75% - Significant - Major improvement, changes behavior
- 100% - Game-changer - Transforms the experience
Step 3: Estimate Confidence
How sure are you about your estimates?
- 50% - Low confidence - Based on intuition, limited data
- 80% - Medium confidence - Some data, past experience
- 100% - High confidence - Strong data, validated assumptions
Step 4: Calculate Effort
Estimate work in weeks:
- 1 week - Small tasks, quick fixes
- 2 weeks - Moderate features
- 4 weeks - Substantial projects
- 8 weeks - Major initiatives
Step 5: Calculate RICE Score
The tool automatically calculates: (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort
The result helps you compare opportunities objectively. Higher scores indicate better value.
Practical Examples
Example 1: New User Onboarding Flow
Opportunity: Redesign the onboarding process to reduce drop-off
- Reach: 75% (Most new users will experience this)
- Impact: 75% - Significant (Major improvement, changes behavior)
- Confidence: 80% - Medium (Based on user research)
- Effort: 4 weeks
RICE Score: (0.75 × 0.75 × 0.8) / 4 = 0.1125
Example 2: Mobile App Performance
Opportunity: Optimize app loading time
- Reach: 50% (Mobile users only)
- Impact: 50% - Noticeable (Clear improvement)
- Confidence: 100% - High (Clear technical path)
- Effort: 1 week
RICE Score: (0.5 × 0.5 × 1.0) / 1 = 0.25
Example 3: Enterprise Dashboard
Opportunity: Build advanced analytics dashboard
- Reach: 25% (Enterprise customers only)
- Impact: 100% - Game-changer (Key differentiator)
- Confidence: 80% - Medium (Customer requests)
- Effort: 8 weeks
RICE Score: (0.25 × 1.0 × 0.8) / 8 = 0.025
In this example, the mobile performance optimization scores highest despite lower impact, because it requires minimal effort. This shows how RICE helps identify quick wins!
Best Practices
1. Start with Team Discussion
Don't score in isolation. The conversation is more valuable than the numbers.
2. Use the Dropdowns as Conversation Starters
When someone says "75% reach," ask "Why not 50%? What makes you confident it's that high?"
3. Document Your Reasoning
Add notes about why you chose each value. This helps when revisiting decisions later.
4. Embrace Simplicity
The limited options force clarity. Don't overthink decimal points.
5. Consider Dependencies
Some low-scoring items might unlock high-scoring ones. RICE doesn't capture everything.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
1. Gaming the System
Don't adjust scores to get the answer you want. Be honest.
2. Over-Precision
Remember: these are estimates. The discussion matters more than exact numbers.
3. Ignoring Context
RICE scores are one input. Consider strategic fit, team morale, and market timing too.
4. Scoring Everything
Not every decision needs RICE. Use it for significant choices where trade-offs aren't obvious.
Quick Reference in OST Hub
| Component | Options | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% | Percentage of users affected |
| Impact | 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% | Minor → Game-changer |
| Confidence | 50%, 80%, 100% | Low → High confidence |
| Effort | 1, 2, 4, 8 weeks | Time to complete |
Formula: RICE = (R × I × C) / E
Getting Started with RICE in OST Hub
- Create opportunities in your workspace
- Add solutions for each opportunity
- Score together - gather your team for a scoring session
- Discuss differences - why did people score differently?
- Use the Matrix view to visualize priorities
- Review regularly as you learn more
The Bottom Line
RICE scoring in OST Hub is designed to spark productive conversations, not provide mathematical certainty. The framework's power comes from structured thinking and team alignment, not precise calculations.
Focus on the discussion, not the decimals. Let RICE guide your conversations about what matters most.