Stop debating. Start shipping what matters.
You have fifty brilliant ideas and the resources to execute exactly three of them. When every feature, marketing channel, or side project feels essential, passion often overrides logic. The ICE Scoring Model cuts through the noise. It forces you to evaluate opportunities based on Impact, Confidence, and Ease, turning subjective arguments into objective data.
When You Need This
Perfect for decisions with:
- Crowded product roadmaps and feature backlogs.
- Evaluating multiple growth marketing experiments.
- Deciding which passive income project or digital asset to launch next.
Not ideal for: Core infrastructure changes, compliance updates, situations where a single client dictates the immediate roadmap.
Calculate Your Priorities in Four Steps
Step 1: Define the “I” – Impact
If this works, how big is the upside? Will it move the needle significantly or just provide a marginal boost? Score from 1 (minimal impact) to 10 (massive, transformative impact).
Step 2: Define the “C” – Confidence
How sure are you that this will work? Do you have data to back it up, or is it a wild guess? Score from 1 (pure intuition) to 10 (proven by previous data/tests).
Step 3: Define the “E” – Ease
How hard is this to execute? Does it take months of coding, or can it be done in a weekend? Score from 1 (requires massive time/money/effort) to 10 (can be shipped tomorrow with existing resources).
Step 4: Multiply for the Final ICE Score
Multiply the three numbers (Impact × Confidence × Ease). The highest score wins.
Real Example: Expanding a Utility Website
The Scenario: Deciding which new calculator tool to add to a utility web app to drive traffic.
Option A: Complex Mortgage Predictor
- Impact: 8 (High demand)
- Confidence: 6 (Some SEO data supports it)
- Ease: 3 (Requires heavy backend logic)
- Score: 144
Option B: Simple Freelance Rate Calculator
- Impact: 6 (Niche audience)
- Confidence: 8 (Proven need in existing communities)
- Ease: 9 (Simple formula, quick to build)
- Score: 432
Decision: Build the Freelance Rate Calculator first. It offers a massive advantage in ease and confidence, making it a quick win.
Pro Moves
Don’t Cheat the “Ease” Score
Teams notoriously underestimate how long things take. If you think it takes a week, score it as if it takes two.
Use Confidence as a Reality Check
High impact and high ease mean nothing if your confidence score is a 2. Use low confidence scores as a signal to run a small, cheap test first.
The Real Benefit
It completely removes the “loudest voice in the room” syndrome. By breaking ideas down into three distinct variables, teams align faster and execute with clarity.
