Step 2. Prioritization Criteria Framework

Criteria define the dimensions you use to evaluate and prioritize your backlog. This guide shows you how to configure evaluation criteria.

Access Criteria settings

1. Open your Board.

2. Navigate to Criteria settings.

   

You'll see an editable pre-set prioritization framework.

Add criteria

1. Click + Criterion.

   

2. Choose a criterion from the suggested list or create a new one.

   

3. Configure basic properties: add Estimators and adjust weights.

   

4. Click Edit Criterion to access advanced settings.

   

5. Configure advanced properties: evaluation source, criterion type, rating scale, and description.

   

Read more about criterion properties.

Create custom criteria

If your desired criterion isn't in the library:

1. Type its name in the search field.

2. Click + New [criterion name].

   

3. Configure the criterion properties.

4. Click Save Criterion.

   

Explore more prioritization frameworks in the templates library.

Edit criteria

1. Open the criterion block.

2. Click the edit button.

   

3. Modify properties: name, Estimators, criterion type, weight, scores, and description.

4. Click Update [number] board(s).

   

Archive criteria

Unlink criteria you don't need now but may want later:

1. Open the criterion block.

2. Click Unlink.

   

3. Confirm the action.

   

Restore unlinked criteria

1. Go to the unlinked block.

   

2. Click Restore next to the criterion.

   

Duplicate criteria

Duplicating criteria lets you experiment with settings without modifying the original:

1. Click Duplicate in the criterion block.

   

A copy of the criterion appears in your framework.

Read more about duplicating criteria.

History and backups

All configuration changes are saved under History. View previous configurations and changes made to criteria.

The latest version of each property is kept indefinitely. Earlier versions are kept for ten days.

To restore a previous configuration:

1. Select the settings you want to restore.

2. Click Restore backups.

   

Use custom fields as criteria

Use custom fields from Ducalis Voting Boards (like vote counts) or your task tracker (Jira, Linear, Asana) as criteria. This lets you leverage existing data instead of evaluating from scratch.

Read more about using custom fields as criteria.

Additional resources

• Ducalis Templates – Ready-to-use prioritization frameworks
• Prioritization Frameworks – Overview of popular frameworks
• All Prioritization Templates – Detailed framework descriptions
• Prioritization Notes – Best practices collection
• PLG Hypothesis Prioritization Framework – For growth hypothesis evaluation
• RICE Framework – Good starting point for prioritization
• WSJF Agile Framework – Sequence work for maximum economic benefit
• Prioritize Technical Debt – Integrate debt prioritization into sprints

What's next

After configuring your criteria, add teammates to your Board for collaborative evaluation.

Continue to Step 3: Add Users and Assign Criteria.