prioritization-advisor▌
deanpeters/product-manager-skills · updated Apr 8, 2026
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Match prioritization frameworks to your product stage, team context, and decision-making needs.
- ›Guides you through four adaptive questions about product maturity, team structure, stakeholder alignment, and data availability to recommend the right framework (RICE, ICE, Value/Effort, Kano, or others)
- ›Explains when each framework excels and when it fails, with implementation steps and scoring templates
- ›Helps avoid \"framework whiplash\" by matching approach to context rather than applyi
Purpose
Guide product managers in choosing the right prioritization framework by asking adaptive questions about product stage, team context, decision-making needs, and stakeholder dynamics. Use this to avoid "framework whiplash" (switching frameworks constantly) or applying the wrong framework (e.g., using RICE for strategic bets or ICE for data-driven decisions). Outputs a recommended framework with implementation guidance tailored to your context.
This is not a scoring calculator—it's a decision guide that matches prioritization frameworks to your specific situation.
Key Concepts
The Prioritization Framework Landscape
Common frameworks and when to use them:
Scoring frameworks:
- RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort) — Data-driven, requires metrics
- ICE (Impact, Confidence, Ease) — Lightweight, gut-check scoring
- Value vs. Effort (2x2 matrix) — Quick wins vs. strategic bets
- Weighted Scoring — Custom criteria with stakeholder input
Strategic frameworks:
- Kano Model — Classify features by customer delight (basic, performance, delight)
- Opportunity Scoring — Rate importance vs. satisfaction gap
- Buy-a-Feature — Customer budget allocation exercise
- Moscow (Must, Should, Could, Won't) — Forcing function for hard choices
Contextual frameworks:
- Cost of Delay — Urgency-based (time-sensitive features)
- Impact Mapping — Goal-driven (tie features to outcomes)
- Story Mapping — User journey-based (narrative flow)
Why This Works
- Context-aware: Matches framework to product stage, team maturity, data availability
- Anti-dogmatic: No single "best" framework—it depends on your situation
- Actionable: Provides implementation steps, not just framework names
Anti-Patterns (What This Is NOT)
- Not a universal ranking: Frameworks aren't "better" or "worse"—they fit different contexts
- Not a replacement for strategy: Frameworks execute strategy; they don't create it
- Not set-it-and-forget-it: Reassess frameworks as your product matures
When to Use This
- Choosing a prioritization framework for the first time
- Switching frameworks (current one isn't working)
- Aligning stakeholders on prioritization process
- Onboarding new PMs to team practices
When NOT to Use This
- When you already have a working framework (don't fix what isn't broken)
- For one-off decisions (frameworks are for recurring prioritization)
- As a substitute for strategic vision (frameworks can't tell you what to build)
Facilitation Source of Truth
Use workshop-facilitation as the default interaction protocol for this skill.
It defines:
- session heads-up + entry mode (Guided, Context dump, Best guess)
- one-question turns with plain-language prompts
- progress labels (for example, Context Qx/8 and Scoring Qx/5)
- interruption handling and pause/resume behavior
- numbered recommendations at decision points
- quick-select numbered response options for regular questions (include
Other (specify)when useful)
This file defines the domain-specific assessment content. If there is a conflict, follow this file's domain logic.
Application
This interactive skill asks up to 4 adaptive questions, offering 3-4 enumerated options at each step.
Question 1: Product Stage
Agent asks: "What stage is your product in?"
Offer 4 enumerated options:
- Pre-product/market fit — "Searching for PMF; experimenting rapidly; unclear what customers want" (High uncertainty, need speed)
- Early PMF, scaling — "Found initial PMF; growing fast; adding features to retain/expand" (Moderate uncertainty, balancing speed + quality)
- Mature product, optimization — "Established market; incremental improvements; competing on quality/features" (Low uncertainty, data-driven decisions)
- Multiple products/platform — "Portfolio of products; cross-product dependencies; complex stakeholder needs" (Coordination complexity)
Or describe your product stage (new idea, growth mode, established, etc.).
User response: [Selection or custom]
Question 2: Team Context
Agent asks: "What's your team and stakeholder environment like?"
Offer 4 enumerated options:
- Small team, limited resources — "3-5 engineers, 1 PM, need to focus ruthlessly" (Need simple, fast framework)
- Cross-functional team, aligned — "Product, design, engineering aligned; clear goals; good collaboration" (Can use data-driven frameworks)
- Multiple stakeholders, misaligned — "Execs, sales, customers all have opinions; need transparent process" (Need consensus-building framework)
- Large org, complex dependencies — "Multiple teams, shared roadmap, cross-team dependencies" (Need coordination framework)
Or describe your team/stakeholder context.
User response: [Selection or custom]
Question 3: Decision-Making Needs
Agent asks: "What's the primary challenge you're trying to solve with prioritization?"
Offer 4 enumerated options:
- Too many ideas, unclear which to pursue — "Backlog is 100+ items; need to narrow to top 10" (Need filtering framework)
- Stakeholders disagree on priorities — "Sales wants features, execs want strategic bets, engineering wants tech debt" (Need alignment framework)
- Lack of data-driven decisions — "Prioritizing by gut feel; want metrics-based process" (Need scoring framework)
- Hard tradeoffs between strategic bets vs. quick wins — "Balancing long-term vision vs. short-term customer needs" (Need value/effort framework)
Or describe your specific challenge.
User response: [Selection or custom]
Question 4: Data Availability
Agent asks: "How much data do you have to inform prioritization?"
Offer 3 enumerated options:
- Minimal data — "New product, no usage metrics, few customers to survey" (Gut-based frameworks)
- Some data — "Basic analytics, customer feedback, but no rigorous data collection" (Lightweight scoring frameworks)
- Rich data — "Usage metrics, A/B tests, customer surveys, clear success metrics" (Data-driven frameworks)
Or describe your data situation.
User response: [Selection or custom]
Output: Recommend Prioritization Framework
After collecting responses, the agent recommends a framework:
# Prioritization Framework Recommendation
**Based on your context:**
- **Product Stage:** [From Q1]
- **Team Context:** [From Q2]
- **Decision-Making Need:** [From Q3]
- **Data Availability:** [From Q4]
---
## Recommended Framework: [Framework Name]
**Why this framework fits:**
- [Rationale 1 based on Q1-Q4]
- [Rationale 2]
- [Rationale 3]
**When to use it:**
- [Context where this framework excels]
**When NOT to use it:**
- [Limitations or contexts where it fails]
---
## How to Implement
### Step 1: [First implementation step]
- [Detailed guidance]
- [Example: "Define scoring criteria: Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort"]
### Step 2: [Second step]
- [Detailed guidance]
- [Example: "Score each feature on 1-10 scale"]
### Step 3: [Third step]
- [Detailed guidance]
- [Example: "Calculate RICE score: (Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort"]
### Step 4: [Fourth step]
- [Detailed guidance]
- [Example: "Rank by score; review top 10 with stakeholders"]
---
## Example Scoring Template
[Provide a concrete example of how to use the framework]
**Example (if RICE):**
| Feature | Reach (users/month) | Impact (1-3) | Confidence (%) | Effort (person-months) | RICE Score |
|---------|---------------------|--------------|----------------|------------------------|------------|
| Feature A | 10,000 | 3 (massive) | 80% | 2 | 12,000 |
| Feature B | 5,000 | 2 (high) | 70% | 1 | 7,000 |
| Feature C | 2,000 | 1 (medium) | 50% | 0.5 | 2,000 |
**Priority:** Feature A > Feature B > Feature C
---
## Alternative Framework (Second Choice)
**If the recommended framework doesn't fit, consider:** [Alternative framework name]
**Why this might work:**
- [Rationale]
**Tradeoffs:**
- [What you gain vs. what you lose]
---
## Common Pitfalls with This Framework
1. **[Pitfall 1]** — [Description and how to avoid]
2. **[Pitfall 2]** — [Description and how to avoid]
3. **[Pitfall 3]** — [Description and how to avoid]
---
## Reassess When
- Product stage changes (e.g., PMF → scaling)
- Team grows or reorganizes
- Stakeholder dynamics shift
- Current framework feels broken (e.g., too slow, ignoring important factors)
---
**Would you like implementation templates or examples for this framework?**
Examples
Example 1: Good Framework Match (Early PMF, RICE)
Q1 Response: "Early PMF, scaling — Found initial PMF; growing fast; adding features to retain/expand"
Q2 Response: "Cross-functional team, aligned — Product, design, engineering aligned; clear goals"
Q3 Response: "Lack of data-driven decisions — Prioritizing by gut feel; want metrics-based process"
Q4 Response: "Some data — Basic analytics, customer feedback, but no rigorous data collection"
Recommended Framework: RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort)
Why this fits:
- You have some data (analytics, customer feedback) to estimate Reach and Impact
- Cross-functional team alignment means you can agree on scoring criteria
- Transitioning from gut feel to data-driven = RICE provides structure without overwhelming complexity
- Early PMF stage = need speed, but also need to prioritize high-impact features for retention/expansion
When to use it:
- Quarterly or monthly roadmap planning
- When backlog exceeds 20-30 items
- When stakeholders debate priorities
When NOT to use it:
- For strategic, multi-quarter bets (RICE favors incremental wins)
- When you lack basic metrics (Reach requires usage data)
- For single-feature decisions (overkill)
Implementation:
Step 1: Define Scoring Criteria
- Reach: How many users will this feature affect per month/quarter?
- Impact: How much will it improve their experience? (1 = minimal, 2 = high, 3 = massive)
- Confidence: How confident are you in your Reach/Impact estimates? (50% = low data, 80% = good data, 100% = certain)
- Effort: How many person-months to build? (Include design, engineering, QA)
Step 2: Score Each Feature
- Use a spreadsheet or Airtable
- Involve PM, design, engineering in scoring (not just PM solo)
- Be honest about Confidence (don't inflate scores)
Step 3: Calculate RICE Score
- Formula:
(Reach × Impact × Confidence) / Effort - Higher score = higher priority
Step 4: Review and Adjust
- Sort by RICE score
- Review top 10-20 with stakeholders
- Adjust for strategic priorities (RICE doesn't capture everything)
Example Scoring:
| Feature | Reach | Impact | Confidence | Effort | RICE Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email reminders | 5,000 | 2 | 70% | 1 | 7,000 |
| Mobile app | 10,000 | 3 | 60% | 6 | 3,000 how to use prioritization-advisor How to use prioritization-advisor on CursorAI-first code editor with Composer 1 PrerequisitesBefore installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
2 Execute installation commandExecute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation: $npx skills add https://github.com/deanpeters/product-manager-skills --skill prioritization-advisor The skills CLI fetches 3 Select Cursor when promptedThe CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor: ◆ Which agents do you want to install to? │ │ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ──── │ • Amp │ • Antigravity │ • Cline │ • Codex │ ●Cursor(selected) │ • Cursor │ • Windsurf 4 Verify installationConfirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location: .cursor/skills/prioritization-advisor Reload or restart Cursor to activate prioritization-advisor. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., ⚠ Security & Verification NoticeWe perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use. Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment. List & Monetize Your SkillSubmit your Claude Code skill and start earning Use Cases▌User Story & Requirements GenerationCreate detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs Example Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios ✓ Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage Competitive AnalysisResearch competitors, compare features, identify gaps Example Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities ✓ Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days Roadmap PrioritizationEvaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs Example Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale ✓ Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster Stakeholder CommunicationDraft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations Example Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement ✓ Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead Implementation Guide▌Prerequisites
Time Estimate30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements Installation Steps
Common Pitfalls
Best Practices▌✓ Do
✗ Don't
💡 Pro Tips
When to Use This▌✓ Use WhenUse for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work. ✗ Avoid WhenAvoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed. Learning Path▌
DiscussionProduct Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
general reviews Ratings4.7★★★★★63 reviews
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