Imagine you’re a product manager. You have a list of 50 ideas. All of them sound great. Your team is excited. But your resources are limited. You can’t build everything at once. What do you do?
That’s where roadmap triage comes in. It helps you decide what gets built first. It’s like a doctor checking which patient needs attention right now. Only here, we’re treating features, not people.
One of the easiest and most popular triage methods is the Impact × Confidence ÷ Effort formula. It’s also known as ICE scoring.
What is the ICE Score?
ICE stands for:
- Impact: How much of a positive effect will this feature have?
- Confidence: How sure are we that it will have that impact?
- Effort: How much time, money, and resources will it take?
You give each idea a number from 1 to 10 for each factor. Then, plug the numbers into this formula:
Score = (Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort
The higher the score, the more attractive the idea is.
Why It Works
ICE scoring is simple. You can do it on a napkin, in a spreadsheet, or with a sticky note. It forces you to think about the right things.
- Will this make a big difference?
- Do we really believe it will work?
- Can we pull it off without burning out the team?
Let’s break it down.
Impact
This is the “wow” factor. A high-impact idea solves a major problem. Or it delights users. Or it boosts revenue. Give a 10 to something that changes the game. Give a 1 to something no one will notice.
Ask yourself:
- Will users love this?
- Will it unlock new markets?
- Does it solve a painful problem?
Confidence
This is how sure you are that your estimate of impact is right. If you have data, user feedback, or a strong gut feeling—great! Score it high. If you’re guessing in the dark, go low.
Confidence stops us from being blinded by shiny ideas. Just because something could be big doesn’t mean it will be.
Ask questions like:
- Have we tested this idea with users?
- Do we have any numbers to back it up?
- Has this worked for others before?
Effort
This is about how much it will cost you—in every way. Time. Money. Pain. If it takes three months and three teams, the effort is high. If it takes a couple of hours and a cup of coffee, it’s low.
Lower effort means a better score since it’s in the denominator of the formula.
Think about:
- How many people are needed?
- How long will it take?
- What are the risks and unknowns?
[h1-img]product manager, roadmap, decision making[/ai-img]
Example: Picking the Right Feature
Let’s say you have three ideas:
- Idea A: Add dark mode to your app
- Idea B: Create a referral program
- Idea C: Build a chat feature
Now rate each:
| Idea | Impact | Confidence | Effort | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Mode | 5 | 9 | 3 | (5×9)/3 = 15 |
| Referral Program | 9 | 6 | 6 | (9×6)/6 = 9 |
| Chat Feature | 7 | 3 | 9 | (7×3)/9 = 2.3 |
Dark mode wins with a score of 15. It may not be the most impactful, but it’s the fastest and easiest win with high confidence.
Now you have direction. Data over debate. Progress over perfection.
[h1-img]ice score, feature evaluation, product prioritization[/ai-img]
Tips for Making ICE Work
Here are some helpful tips so you don’t get stuck:
- Stay consistent. Always use the same scale. Don’t change your 1–10 to 1–100 halfway through.
- Be honest about confidence. If you don’t have data, don’t fake it. Mark it low and test fast to learn more.
- Use relative scoring. Don’t think too hard. 10 doesn’t mean “perfect,” it just means “better than the rest.”
- Score as a team. Get input from devs, designers, marketers, even the support crew.
Common Pitfalls
ICE scoring isn’t perfect. Watch out for these traps:
- Overvaluing pet projects. Just because a PM loves it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
- Ignoring low-confidence ideas that could be big. Sometimes gold is hidden in the dark. Run small tests and learn more.
- Making effort way too optimistic. People love to think things are quick. Add buffer if you’re not sure.
When to Use ICE
Use ICE when:
- You have a big list of ideas.
- You need to get moving fast.
- You want to focus your limited time and energy.
It’s not a perfect science. But it brings structure. It makes priorities clearer. It gets your team aligned.
Better Together
You don’t have to use ICE alone. Combine it with other methods like RICE (which adds “Reach”) or MoSCoW (Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, Won’t Have).
Use ICE for quick wins and rapid sprints. Use deeper models for long-term planning.
[h1-img]planning, strategy, product features[/ai-img]
Final Thoughts
Roadmap triage doesn’t have to be painful. With ICE scoring, you make smart calls without endless meetings. You work on what matters most. And you get shippable results fast.
So next time you’re staring at a wall of sticky notes, grab a marker. Score it. Sort it. Ship it.
Your roadmap just got a whole lot easier.