# RICE Scoresheet

> **Formats:** Markdown (documentation) | CSV (working scoresheet)
> **Updated:** 2026-03-22
> **License:** CC BY 4.0 -- Kate Makrigiannis / k8mak.com

A scoring template for prioritizing features using the RICE framework: Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort. Download the CSV, open it in Google Sheets or Excel, and score your backlog.

## When to use this

You have 5-20 features, initiatives, or backlog items competing for attention and need a quantitative, defensible prioritization. RICE gives you a formula to compare unlike items on a common scale. Use it when gut feel isn't enough and stakeholders need to see the math.

---

## Scoring guide

### Reach

How many users will this affect in a given time period?

| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Count | Actual number of users/transactions affected per quarter (e.g., 500 users, 10,000 transactions) |

Use real data when you have it. Estimate when you don't. Note the basis for your estimate in the Notes column.

### Impact

How much will this move the needle for each user reached?

| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 3 | Massive -- fundamentally changes the experience |
| 2 | High -- significant improvement |
| 1 | Medium -- noticeable improvement |
| 0.5 | Low -- minor improvement |
| 0.25 | Minimal -- barely noticeable |

### Confidence

How sure are you about the Reach, Impact, and Effort estimates?

| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 100% | High confidence -- supported by data, research, or past experience |
| 80% | Medium confidence -- some data, reasonable estimate |
| 50% | Low confidence -- gut feel, limited data |

### Effort

How many person-months will this take to ship?

| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Count | Person-months of work (e.g., 0.5 = 2 weeks for one person, 3 = one person for a quarter) |

Include design, engineering, QA, and any cross-team coordination time.

### RICE Score formula

```
RICE Score = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort
```

Higher scores = higher priority. The formula naturally favors high-reach, high-impact items that are well-understood and quick to build.

---

## CSV column reference

The companion CSV file (`rice-scoresheet.csv`) has these columns:

| Column | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Item | Text | Feature or initiative name |
| Reach | Number | Users or transactions affected per quarter |
| Impact | Number | 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 |
| Confidence | Percent | 50%, 80%, or 100% |
| Effort | Number | Person-months |
| RICE Score | Formula | (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort |
| Personas Affected | Text | Which user personas this serves |
| Notes | Text | Assumptions, data sources, open questions |

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## Tips

- **Score with evidence, not gut feel.** If you can cite analytics, user research, or support ticket volume, do it. If you're estimating, say so in the Notes column.
- **Confidence is the integrity check.** A feature with high Reach and Impact but 50% Confidence should not outrank a solid 80% Confidence item. The formula handles this -- trust it.
- **Effort is the most commonly underestimated dimension.** Include cross-team coordination, QA, documentation, and deployment. Not just coding time.
- **Review scores as a team.** One person scoring in isolation produces biased results. Score individually, then compare and discuss divergences.
- **Rescore quarterly.** Reach and Confidence change as you learn more. Last quarter's scores may not apply.

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*Part of the [k8 Agent Toolkit](https://k8mak.com/agent-toolkit). Download other formats at k8mak.com/resources.*