PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
It’s absolutely possible to achieve massive success with the RICE framework as a beginner, it’s one of the most powerful prioritization tools out there. But here’s the catch: top product managers don’t share everything about how they use it to get ahead. To truly harness its potential, you need to know exactly what to focus on.
Prioritization is critical, and you need to view it as a competition. After all, you’re not the only one vying for your customers’ attention. If you’re better at prioritizing the right features than your competitors, those customers will purchase from you. Over time, this compounds and generates significant revenue.
If you can master the RICE framework, you’re not just shipping features—you’re strategically outpacing your competition. In this post, I’ll show you how to maximize the RICE framework and share some insider tips that will elevate your product strategy. Stick with me, because what I’m about to share could completely change the game for your team.
If you're new to RICE, let me quickly explain it. RICE stands for:
You score each of these criteria and plug them into the formula: R * I * C / E.
Now, this next part is super important. Pay close attention because this could be a game-changer for your prioritization process. If you get this right, it’ll save you time, reduce confusion, and help you focus on what truly matters, enabling smarter decisions that drive better results.
Top product managers know that not all criteria in the RICE framework are created equal. They apply weightage to each part of the formula to make their prioritization even more effective.
If you’re working in a B2B context, here’s how you might weight the criteria:
In B2B, impact often has a more direct effect on revenue, customer retention, and overall efficiency. Small changes can lead to big improvements, so I prioritize Impact over Reach. A minor change with significant impact could result in a much better return than trying to reach more people.
In a B2C context, however, the focus shifts slightly. Here’s how I would allocate the weight:
In B2C, reaching a large number of users is key. With a larger audience, even small improvements can lead to massive growth. So, Reach becomes a more significant factor in prioritizing features.
Now that we've covered the basics, let's dive into some common mistakes people make when using the RICE framework. These mistakes can completely derail your process and leave you making decisions based on faulty assumptions. Trust me, you’ll want to avoid these.
It’s tempting to focus on big numbers, who doesn’t want to impact thousands or even millions of users? But here’s the thing: just because a feature reaches a lot of people doesn’t mean it’s making a real difference. The key is to consider how engaged those users are. Are they actually benefiting from the feature? Is it generating more revenue?
For B2B companies, Reach shouldn’t be the primary focus. Instead, concentrate on features that will have a significant impact on the customer experience or your business goals.
Confidence should be based on how reliable your data is, not pretending that you have all the answers. In the world of product management, things are rarely certain. Be realistic about your level of confidence and always factor in the unknowns. Trust your data, but don’t assume certainty where there’s room for error.
We’ve all been there, excited about a new feature and thinking it’ll be easier than it actually is. But the more complex the feature, the more effort it will require. Whether it’s development, testing, or even support, consider all aspects before you jump in. If you're only focused on the cool idea and forget about the time, resources, and work required to execute it, you'll run into problems.
I’ve seen so many companies waste time and money because they get caught up in the excitement of a feature without understanding how much effort it truly takes. A feature should never take more than 6 to 8 weeks to deliver. If it does, you’re likely overcomplicating things.
If you’re a product manager or running a business, I highly recommend checking out Roadloom. This tool is designed to help you make smarter decisions by gathering feedback from multiple channels, prioritizing effectively, and building roadmaps with ease. The beauty of Roadloom is that by making better, data-driven decisions, you can generate more revenue and reduce revenue leakage from wasted efforts.
The best part? Roadloom has a very low learning curve, so you’ll be up and running quickly. The investment is minimal compared to the value you’ll gain. I’ll leave the link in the description below so you can check it out!
Mastering the RICE framework isn’t about just following a formula, it’s about making smarter decisions that drive results. By focusing on the right factors, avoiding common mistakes, and using tools like Roadloom to streamline the process, you can outpace your competition and scale your business more effectively.
That's it for today, thanks for reading! I'll see you in the next post.