ICE Framework

ICE is a prioritisation score: Impact × Confidence × Ease. Rate each dimension (e.g. 1–10), multiply, and rank. High-ICE items get done first. The framework forces you to separate three questions that people often collapse: How much does this matter? How sure are we we can pull it off? How hard is it? Impact alone ignores feasibility — you might chase a moon shot that never lands. Ease alone ignores value — you might fill the calendar with quick wins that don't move the needle. Confidence bridges the two: a high-impact, high-ease idea that you're unsure about may be a gamble; the same idea with high confidence is a clear bet. Multiplying (rather than adding) means that a zero on any dimension kills the score. No impact, no point. No confidence, too risky. No ease, too expensive. The discipline is to score honestly and to re-score as you learn. ICE doesn't make the decision; it structures the comparison so you can decide with clarity.

The framework is often attributed to Sean Ellis and growth teams: score growth ideas by impact, confidence, and ease, then run the top of the list. It generalises. Use it for roadmap items, initiative prioritisation, pipeline opportunities, or backlog. The limit is that the numbers are subjective. Two people can score the same item differently. The value is less in the absolute score and more in the conversation: why did you give that a 7? What would have to be true for it to be a 9? The framework surfaces assumptions and aligns the team on what "impact" and "ease" mean in context.