Who This Helps
This is for founder operators who feel stuck deciding where to focus next. If you're juggling ten ideas but can't pick one, this method from our Market Intelligence & Positioning course will help. It turns your gut feelings into a clear, evidence-backed choice.
Mini Case
Sam's team had 8 potential features to build. They debated for 2 weeks with no decision. Using this framework, they scored each idea. The winner was a small integration tweak they'd overlooked. It took 3 days to build and increased user activation by 15%. The other 7 ideas went on a 'maybe later' list. Focus won.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- List your contenders. Grab your top 3-5 experiment ideas. Write each on a sticky note or in a doc.
- Define one key goal. Are you trying to increase sign-ups, reduce churn, or boost engagement? Pick just one metric for this round.
- Score for impact. For each idea, ask: 'If this works, how much could it move our key goal?' Rate High, Medium, or Low.
- Score for effort. Be brutally honest. How many team-days would this take? Rate High, Medium, or Low.
- Pick the obvious winner. Find the idea with the highest impact score and the lowest effort score. That's your next experiment. The rest can wait. It's like choosing the ripest fruit first.
Avoid These Traps
- The 'Everything is High Impact' Trap. Not all ideas are home runs. Be critical. If everything is high impact, nothing is.
- Overcomplicating the Score. Don't create a 10-point scale. High/Medium/Low is enough to see clear differences.
- Ignoring Team Gut Check. After you score, ask your team: 'Does this feel right?' A quick 5-minute huddle can spot blind spots.
- Analysis Paralysis. Give yourself 45 minutes max for this process. The goal is a good decision, not a perfect one.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you'll have one prioritized experiment, a clear reason why it's the best bet, and a team aligned to execute. You'll stop spinning in 'what if' land and start building. That's a win you can build on next week.