The E-RICE+ Framework expands on the traditional RICE methodology to better prioritize features, particularly for enterprise-focused products. By incorporating factors like enterprise-specific demand, resource constraints, and opportunity costs, this approach provides a holistic evaluation for feature development.

E-RICE+ Components

Reach (R):
Number of users or customers who will interact with or benefit from the feature.
Impact (I):
Magnitude of the change or benefit the feature will provide.
Confidence (C):
Certainty in estimates for Reach, Impact, and other variables.
Effort (E):
Estimated resources required, measured in time, cost, or engineering hours.
Enterprise Demand (ED):
Number of enterprise clients or leads actively requesting the feature.
New Contract Potential (NCP):
Estimated new enterprise contracts or deals likely to be closed due to the feature.
Sales Cycle Alignment (SCA):
Degree to which the feature's timeline matches the sales cycle for enterprise clients.
Upgrade Potential (UP):
Percentage of existing customers willing to upgrade for the feature.
Revenue Impact (RI):
Projected revenue increase from new contracts and upgrades.
Engineering Resource Availability (ERA):
Availability of engineering resources relative to the feature’s needs.
Hiring Need (HN):
Requirement for new hires to complete the feature (lower is better).
Opportunity Cost (OC):
Potential value lost by choosing this feature over alternatives (lower is better).

E-RICE+ Score Formula

The score is calculated using:

Steps to Use the E-RICE+ Framework

Evaluate each component on a standardized scale (e.g., 1-10 for most factors, percentage for UP, and monetary value for RI).

INCORPORATING SALES DATA

Calculate the Average Sales Cycle Length using the formula:

Determine the Sales Cycle Alignment (SCA) by comparing the feature development time to the Average Sales Cycle Length.
Estimate the Upgrade Potential (UP) by teasing existing customers with the feature and gauging their willingness to upgrade.
Calculate the Revenue Impact (RI) based on potential new contracts and upgrades.

INCORPORATING HR DATA

Evaluate all components on a standardized scale (e.g., 1-10 for most factors, percentage for UP, monetary value for RI, and relative scores for ERA, HN, and OC).
For Engineering Resource Availability (ERA):
- Higher scores indicate better availability (e.g., 10 = fully available, 1 = no availability)
For Hiring Need (HN):
- Lower scores are better (e.g., 1 = no hiring needed, 10 = significant hiring required)
For Opportunity Cost (OC):
- Lower scores are better (e.g., 1 = low opportunity cost, 10 = high opportunity cost)
Calculate ERA by assessing current team capacity and project requirements:

Estimate HN based on the gap between required skills/capacity and current team capabilities.
Determine OC by comparing the potential value of this feature to other features in the pipeline:

Apply the E-RICE+ formula to obtain the final score.
Prioritize features based on their E-RICE+ scores, with higher scores indicating higher priority.
Apply the E-RICE formula to obtain the final score.
Prioritize features based on their E-RICE scores, with higher scores indicating higher priority.

CALCULATE E-RICE SCORE

Calculate E-RICE Score: Use the formula to derive the score and compare it across features.
Prioritize Features: Features with higher scores indicate higher priority based on benefit, feasibility, and alignment with strategic goals.

Benefits of E-RICE+

Holistic Assessment: Balances benefits, resources, and constraints.
Enterprise Focused: Tailored to prioritize features for high-value clients.
Alignment with Strategy: Considers sales cycles and resource availability for realistic planning.
Revenue-Driven: Incorporates financial metrics like Revenue Impact and Upgrade Potential for data-backed decisions.

By leveraging E-RICE+, teams can make informed, strategic decisions to maximize impact and enterprise value while managing resource trade-offs effectively.

RICE Scoring Framework