Weighted Scoring Model: Objective Feature Prioritization

What is a Weighted Scoring Model?

A weighted scoring model is a quantitative framework that helps you compare initiatives by scoring them against a set of criteria, each with a specific weight.

Instead of arguing in circles about which feature is "more important", you:

1. Agree on the criteria that matter (e.g., revenue, user impact, strategy fit).
2. Assign weights to those criteria based on importance.
3. Score each initiative against each criterion.
4. Calculate a total weighted score for each item.

The result is a transparent, repeatable way to justify priorities.

Why Use a Weighted Scoring Model?

Weighted scoring shines when:

• You have multiple stakeholders with different incentives
• Trade‑offs are complex (e.g., growth vs. platform health)
• You need a documented rationale for leadership or governance

It doesn’t replace product judgment—but it gives you a structured input into that judgment.

Step 1: Define Your Criteria

Common criteria for product initiatives include:

• User Impact – How strongly it improves user outcomes or satisfaction
• Revenue Potential – Expected contribution to new or expansion revenue
• Strategic Fit – Alignment with company or product strategy
• Risk Reduction / Enabler – How much it unlocks or de‑risks future work
• Effort / Complexity (inverse) – The cost of delivery (sometimes modeled separately)

Aim for 5–7 criteria. Too few, and you oversimplify. Too many, and the model becomes unmanageable.

Step 2: Assign Weights

Next, decide how important each criterion is relative to the others.

Example:

• User Impact – 30%
• Revenue Potential – 25%
• Strategic Fit – 20%
• Risk Reduction – 15%
• Effort (inverse) – 10%

You can express weights as percentages that sum to 100, or as point budgets (e.g., distribute 100 points across criteria).

Tips:

• Co‑create weights with key stakeholders so they’re bought in.
• Revisit weights quarterly or when strategy shifts.

Step 3: Score Each Initiative

Choose a simple, intuitive scale—e.g., 1–5 or 1–7—for each criterion:

• 1 = very low
• 3 = medium
• 5 = very high

For each initiative, assign a score on each criterion, documenting why you chose it.

Example for a new onboarding experiment:

• User Impact: 4 (likely to reduce activation friction)
• Revenue Potential: 3 (indirect, via improved conversion)
• Strategic Fit: 5 (directly supports self‑serve motion)
• Risk Reduction: 2 (not a major enabler)
• Effort (inverse): 4 (small experiment)

Step 4: Calculate Weighted Scores

For each initiative, multiply the score by the criterion weight and sum the results.

Simple formula:

• Weighted Score = Σ(score × weight) across all criteria

Continuing the example above (assuming weights from earlier):

• User Impact: 4 × 0.30 = 1.20
• Revenue Potential: 3 × 0.25 = 0.75
• Strategic Fit: 5 × 0.20 = 1.00
• Risk Reduction: 2 × 0.15 = 0.30
• Effort (inverse): 4 × 0.10 = 0.40

Total Weighted Score = 3.65

This number is most useful relative to other initiatives scored with the same model.

Step 5: Compare and Discuss

Once you’ve scored all initiatives:

• Sort by weighted score
• Look for natural cut‑offs (e.g., a top 10 that clearly stands out)
• Use the ranking as a starting point for roadmap discussions

Important: The model is an input, not an automatic roadmap. It won’t capture:

• Sequencing and dependencies
• Regulatory or compliance constraints
• Bets you want to make for learning rather than direct ROI

Best Practices

• Document assumptions. Capture why you gave each score.
• Keep the scale consistent. Avoid constantly changing what "5" means.
• Stress‑test the model. Ask: “If we change weights slightly, do the top items stay roughly the same?”

Common Pitfalls

• Over‑engineering the model with too many criteria
• Treating the scores as absolute truth instead of a decision aid
• Letting politics drive scores rather than data and customer insight

When to Use a Weighted Scoring Model

Weighted scoring works best when:

• You’re planning quarterly or annual roadmaps
• You need cross‑functional alignment (e.g., Product, Sales, Marketing, Ops)
• You want a trail of how decisions were made for future reference

For faster, more lightweight decisions, frameworks like Value vs. Effort or MoSCoW may be more appropriate. Often, teams mix and match—using Value vs. Effort for daily triage and weighted scoring for big bets.

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Want a plug‑and‑play weighted scoring template? Product Leader Academy members get spreadsheets, walkthrough videos, and real examples from PM teams in the field.