| name | backlog-scoring |
| description | Reference only (do NOT invoke as an action): the RICE scoring convention for the goal-loop backlog. Read by the loop/make-plan skills. |
Backlog scoring — sophisticated, model-set prioritization
How the goal-loop (/loop) and /make-plan score and re-score backlog items so the loop always works the highest-leverage task. Scores live in each Claude Code Task's metadata (the backlog source of truth).
Model: RICE
For each backlog item the model estimates four factors and computes a score:
score = (reach × impact × confidence) / effort
| Factor | Meaning | Scale |
|---|
| reach | How much of the goal / how many users/files/cases this item moves | 1–10 (relative) |
| impact | How strongly it advances the goal when done | 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 (massive) |
| confidence | How sure we are about reach × impact | 0.5 (low), 0.8 (med), 1.0 (high) |
| effort | Estimated cost to complete (person-equiv units) | ≥ 0.5 |
The estimates are model-set (the model fills them from the item description + investigation), and user-overridable — if the user sets any factor, keep it and don't overwrite it on re-score.
Where it's stored
On each Task, in metadata:
metadata: {
goalId, reach, impact, confidence, effort,
score, // recomputed; (reach*impact*confidence)/effort
scoreSource, // "model" | "user" per factor that was overridden
cycle, // cycle last scored
learnings // rolling 1-line digest from the last attempt
}
When scoring happens
- Initial — when items enter the backlog (
/make-plan during a goal run, backlog-gen inside the loop, or a consumed signal promoted to a task — see .agents/skills/signals/SKILL.md; carry the signal's confidence into the RICE confidence factor and tag the task with the signal id). Set all four factors + score.
- Re-score — every Review & learn step: update factors from what the last cycle taught (e.g. an item that proved harder gets higher
effort; a newly-found high-leverage gap gets high reach/impact), recompute score. Never overwrite a user-set factor.
- Selection — the loop's "next item" trigger picks the highest
score among open, unblocked tasks for the active goalId.
Notes
- Keep estimates cheap — this is prioritization, not precision. A 1-line rationale per factor is enough; do not write essays into metadata.
- Ties broken by lowest
effort (smaller wins first), then lowest Task id.
- Blocked tasks (open
blockedBy) are never selected regardless of score.
