The question is the best answer!

When working on prioritisation, we often run into problems such as how to effectively evaluate each step of the work. Different prioritisation systems, such as RICE, have unique logic that works well for some products but may not work so well for others. This variability can make it difficult to take a one-size-fits-all approach to prioritising tasks.

In my experience, I am well aware of these problems. For example, while RICE makes it easy to determine Reach or Impact, Confidence and Effort are harder to digitise. And taking potential pitfalls or technical legacy into account when prioritising can make confidence in estimates even more difficult.

To address this problem, I developed a method that allows you to allocate resources and prioritise tasks. Here's how it works in RICE: at each stage I ask a question and prioritise it on a 10-point scale within the question. I use a checklist, and the answer to each question generates a score. If the total score is below 25, I explore the idea further; if it's above 25, I schedule it for the next sprint.

This approach is incredibly helpful in high-pressure situations when everything feels urgent and important. However, it is designed for developing new features, not for fixing urgent blockages or critical bugs.

P.S. You can adapt this approach for yourself. You can outline the critical questions that are important to you and rate each of them in terms of importance to your project.