How to Prioritize Features with the impact effort matrix

Updated: 

03, 2025

One of the most popular feature prioritization models is the Impact-Effort Model. The Impact-Effort matrix enables you to elevate your SaaS feature marketing strategy to a whole new level. If you want to find the best Impact-Effort matrix template for your SaaS product, click here and go straight to the end of the post.

What is Feature Marketing?

Feature marketing is a software/SaaS product marketing strategy that focuses on updating existing features or adding new features to an existing product as part of a company’s efforts to retain customers or attract new ones.

How do we manage SaaS Feature Marketing strategy properly?

Deciding – Feature Prioritization.

Developing

Announcing – For a post on SaaS Feature Marketing strategy , click here

The Impact-Effort Model for Feature Prioritization

Impact Effort Model Matrix
Impact Effort Matrix template
Impact Effort Matrix 
Impact Effort 
Value Effort

What is the Impact-Effort Model?

The Impact-Effort model (also called the Value-Effort model) is a simple framework for managing and prioritizing projects and features that startups love. It consists of a 2×2 grid, where each square represents a level of effort versus a level of impact. For example, the first projects and features we will focus on will be in the upper-left quadrant of the graph, labeled ‘Quick Wins,’ because their potential impact is high while the required level of effort is low.

Effort Impact Model 
SaaS Feature Prioritization 
Effort Impact Matrix 
ืžื•ื“ืœ Effort Impact 
ืžื•ื“ืœ SaaS
ืžื ื”ืœ ืžื•ืฆืจ 
ืžื•ื“ืœ RICE
  • Low-effort and low-impact: These features, often known as ‘Maybe,’ don’t demand much time or energy but also don’t have much effect. So prioritize me, maybe.
  •  High-effort and low-impact: Features that require a lot of your time and energy but don’t impact your customers much. These features are often called ‘Thankless Tasks’ because no one will probably send you a thank-you note.
  •  High-impact and low-effort: These are easy victories, also called quick wins; they have a significant effect with little time or energy required. These are low-effort methods that have a huge effect on your customers.
  •  High-effort and high-impact: Features that will significantly impact your customers but need a lot of time, energy, etc.

Here are 2 options for Impact Effort Matrix templates

1. Airfocus‘s Impact Effort Matrix template for Feature Prioritization

For those interested in using the Impact Effort Matrix for feature prioritization, airfocus, a German SaaS company, offers a product management and project management platform that includes templates for feature prioritization, one of which is the Impact Effort Model.

Key Features:

  • 14-day free trial!
  • User-friendly Interface.
  • Collect information and feedback from chats, emails, and support in one place.
  • User feedback analysis.
  • Creating and Sharing roadmaps and views.
  • Ready-made templates for Prioritization, Roadmap and Product management.
  • Internal and external portal.
  • Centralize feedback and act on it with Insights
  • Engage with users on a branded Portal
  • Integrate with dev tools (Jira Cloud, Azure DevOps Cloud, Linear, Trello, Asana, Shortcut, MS Planner, GitHub, Zapier) and feedback tools (Intercom, Slack, MS Teams, Zendesk)
  • Price starts at $59 month.

2. Craft.io’s Impact Effort Matrix template for Feature Prioritization

For those interested in using the Impact Effort Matrix for feature prioritization, craft.io, an Israeli SaaS company, offers a product management platform that includes models for feature prioritization, one of which is the Impact Effort Model.

Key Features:

  • 14-day free trial!
  • User-friendly Interface.
  • Creating roadmaps for project management.
  • Building and sharing roadmap strategy.
  • Feedback management and analysis
  • Unlimited Contributors For Free Single workspace Craft roadmaps Backlog management & prioritization Backlog import Development tool integration with a 2-way sync
  • Integration with Online tools such as Slack, Jira, Miro, Salesforce.
  • Guru – Templates for Prioritization, Roadmap and Product management.
  • Price starts at $19 month.

Some comments on how to choose the perfect partner, sorry, the best feature to develop first.

  1. Think about the customerโ€”or rather, your core customer group. Who will benefit the most from the new features?
  2. You canโ€™t please everyone, so start by pleasing many at once.
  3. Be sure to accurately estimate the effort required to develop each feature. Donโ€™t hesitate to ask for help.
  4. Donโ€™t fall in love with your product; we do not develop products for ourselves.
  5. Wrong prioritization can end a business; yes, it happens often. Just ask your friends who recently changed their status on LinkedIn.

Just some of the topics we covered in this post: Feature Prioritization, SaaS Feature Marketing, Impact-Effort Model, Product Manager, Prioritize Features, SaaS Marketing, Project Manager.

Youโ€™ve reached the end of the post: How to Prioritize Features with the impact effort matrix For more on SaaS Marketing, click here.

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