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Glossary
Prioritization

What is Weighted Scoring?

Weighted Scoring is a prioritization framework that uses a set of weighted criteria to calculate a final score for different items, such as features or initiatives. By assigning numerical values to factors like business value, technical effort, and user impact, teams can objectively rank items and make data-driven decisions.

When to use it

Use weighted scoring when you need to align stakeholders who have competing priorities or when comparing complex features that offer different types of value. It solves the problem of subjective bias by ensuring that every item is measured against the same predefined strategic goals and constraints.

Example

A SaaS team prioritizing four features for Q3 selects three criteria: Revenue Impact (50% weight), Engineering Effort (20% weight), and User Retention (30% weight). Feature A scores 10 on revenue, 5 on effort, and 8 on retention, resulting in a weighted score of 8.4. Feature B scores higher on retention (10) but lower on revenue (4), finishing with a total score of 7.0. The team uses these final scores to determine that Feature A provides the best overall ROI for the upcoming quarter.

How Planet Roadmap helps with Weighted Scoring

Planet Roadmap's Table view allows you to create custom fields for each scoring criterion and use formulas to automatically calculate the final weighted priority for every task.

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FAQ

How do you decide the correct weights for each criterion?
Weights should reflect your current business strategy; for example, if your immediate goal is market expansion, 'New Revenue' might carry a 50% weight, whereas if your focus is stability, 'Technical Debt' would be weighted more heavily.
What is the difference between Weighted Scoring and the RICE framework?
While RICE is a specific type of weighted scoring with fixed categories (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort), general Weighted Scoring allows you to define any custom criteria and weights that fit your specific organizational needs.

Related terms

RICE ScoreICE ScoreMoSCoW MethodKano ModelValue vs Effort MatrixWSJFProduct Strategy

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