Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort (RICE)

Prioritising Design Work Strategically

Given that resources are always limited, a design manager must be strategic in how they prioritise design initiatives. The RICE framework, which evaluates potential projects based on Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort, is a valuable tool in this process. It was created by Intercom as a prioritization tool for product managers to help their own product teams make more informed decisions about which projects to focus on. By applying RICE, a design manager can ensure that their team focuses on high-value design projects that contribute the most to the product’s success and align with business priorities. For instance, a feature with high reach and impact but low effort would be prioritised over a high-effort, low-impact project, aligning with both product and organisational goals.

In short, RICE is a prioritisation framework used in product management and decision-making. It helps evaluate and prioritise initiatives based on their potential reach, impact, confidence level, and the effort required to implement them. RICE enables teams to focus on high-value initiatives and make informed choices based on data and analysis.

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