---
name: ln-230-story-prioritizer
description: "RICE-scores Stories with market research and generates prioritization table. Use when Stories need business priority ranking for sprint planning."
license: MIT
---

> **Paths:** File paths (`references/`, `../ln-*`) are relative to this skill directory.

# Story Prioritizer

**Type:** L3 Worker
**Category:** 2XX Planning

Evaluate Stories using RICE scoring with market research. Generate consolidated prioritization table for Epic.

## Purpose & Scope

- Prioritize Stories AFTER ln-220 creates them
- Triage all Stories cheaply before doing deep research
- Research market size and competition only where it changes prioritization confidence
- Calculate RICE score for each Story
- Generate prioritization table (P0/P1/P2/P3)
- Output: docs/market/[epic-slug]/prioritization.md

## When to Use

**Use this skill when:**
- Stories created by ln-220, need business prioritization
- Planning sprint with limited capacity (which Stories first?)
- Stakeholder review requires data-driven priorities
- Evaluating feature ROI before implementation

**Do NOT use when:**
- Epic has no Stories yet (run ln-220 first)
- Stories are purely technical (infrastructure, refactoring)
- Prioritization already exists in docs/market/

---

## Input Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Description | Default |
|-----------|----------|-------------|---------|
| epic | Yes | Epic ID or "Epic N" format | - |
| stories | No | Specific Story IDs to prioritize | All in Epic |
| depth | No | Research depth (quick/standard/deep) | "standard" |

**depth options:**
- `quick` - 2-3 min/Story, 1 WebSearch per type
- `standard` - 5-7 min/Story, 2-3 WebSearches per type
- `deep` - 8-10 min/Story, comprehensive research

---

## Output Structure

```
docs/market/[epic-slug]/
└── prioritization.md    # Consolidated table + RICE details + sources
```

## Runtime Contract

**MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/planning_worker_runtime_contract.md`, `references/coordinator_summary_contract.md`
**MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/researchgraph_mcp_usage.md` when Stories cite H/G/run IDs or project researchgraph evidence can change priority confidence.

Runtime family: `planning-worker-runtime`

Identifier:
- `epic-{epicId}`

Phases:
1. `PHASE_0_CONFIG`
2. `PHASE_1_DISCOVERY`
3. `PHASE_2_LOAD_STORY_METADATA`
4. `PHASE_3_ANALYZE_STORIES`
5. `PHASE_4_GENERATE_PRIORITIZATION`
6. `PHASE_5_WRITE_SUMMARY`
7. `PHASE_6_SELF_CHECK`

Summary contract:
- `summary_kind=story-prioritization-worker`
- payload includes `epic_id`, `depth`, `stories_analyzed`, `priority_distribution`, `top_story_ids`, `prioritization_path`, `warnings`
- managed mode writes to caller-provided `summaryArtifactPath`
- default managed artifact path pattern: `.hex-skills/runtime-artifacts/runs/{parent_run_id}/story-prioritization-worker/ln-230--{identifier}.json`

**Table columns (from user requirements):**

| Priority | Customer Problem | Feature | Solution | Rationale | Impact | Market | Sources | Competition |
|----------|------------------|---------|----------|-----------|--------|--------|---------|-------------|
| P0 | User pain point | Story title | Technical approach | Why important | Business impact | $XB | [Link] | Blue 1-3 / Red 4-5 |

---

## Inputs

| Input | Required | Source | Description |
|-------|----------|--------|-------------|
| `epicId` | Yes | args, kanban, user | Epic to process |

**Resolution:** Epic Resolution Chain.
**Status filter:** Active (planned/started)

## Tools Config

**MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/environment_state_contract.md`, `references/storage_mode_detection.md`, `references/input_resolution_pattern.md`

Extract: `task_provider` = Task Management → Provider

## Research Tools

| Tool | Purpose | Example Query |
|------|---------|---------------|
| **WebSearch** | Market size, competitors | "[domain] market size {current_year}" |
| **mcp__Ref** | Industry reports | "[domain] market analysis report" |
| **hex-research** | Local hypothesis, goal, and benchmark evidence | `find_hypotheses`, `inspect_goal`, `find_runs` for explicit H/G/run context |
| **Task provider** | Load Stories | IF linear: list_issues / ELSE: Glob story.md |
| **Glob** | Check existing | "docs/market/[epic]/*" |

---

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Discovery (2 min)

**Objective:** Validate input and prepare context.

**Process:**

1. **Resolve epicId:** Run Epic Resolution Chain per guide.

2. **Load Epic details:**
   - **IF task_provider == "linear":** `get_project(query=epicId)`
   - **ELSE IF task_provider == "github":** `gh issue view {epicId} -R {REPO} --json number,title,body`
   - **ELSE:** `Read("docs/tasks/epics/epic-{N}-*/epic.md")`
   - Extract: Epic ID, title, description

3. **Auto-discover configuration:**
   - Read `docs/tasks/kanban_board.md` for Team ID
   - Slugify Epic title for output path

4. **Check existing prioritization:**
   ```
   Glob: docs/market/[epic-slug]/prioritization.md
   ```
   - If exists: Ask "Update existing or create new?"
   - If new: Continue

5. **Create output directory:**
   ```bash
   mkdir -p docs/market/[epic-slug]/
   ```

**Output:** Epic metadata, output path, existing check result

---

### Phase 2: Load Stories Metadata (3 min)

**Objective:** Build Story queue with metadata only and prepare rough scoring inputs for all Stories.

**Process:**

1. **Query Stories from Epic:**
   **IF task_provider == "linear":**
   ```
   list_issues(project=Epic.id, label="user-story")
   ```
   **ELSE IF task_provider == "github":**
   ```
   gh api /repos/{O}/{R}/issues/{epic_num}/sub_issues --jq '.[].number'
   → for each: gh issue view {num} -R {REPO} --json number,title,state,labels
   → filter: label "user-story"
   ```
   **ELSE (file mode):**
   ```
   Glob("docs/tasks/epics/epic-{N}-*/stories/*/story.md")
   ```

2. **Extract metadata only:**
   - Story ID, title, status
   - minimal Epic context if available
   - **DO NOT** load full descriptions yet

3. **Filter Stories:**
   - Exclude: Done, Cancelled, Archived
   - Include: Backlog, Todo, In Progress

4. **Build processing queue:**
   - Order by: existing priority (if any), then by ID
   - Count: N Stories to process

**Output:** Story queue (ID + title + minimal context), ~50-80 tokens/Story

---

### Phase 3: Two-Pass Story Analysis

**Objective:** Score all Stories cheaply first, then spend deep research only on candidates where it changes the decision.

**Critical:** Keep maximum context to one full Story at a time even during deep research.

If a researchgraph layout exists, run local graph checks only for Stories whose priority depends on hypothesis status, goal coverage, benchmark evidence, or implementation readiness. Local graph evidence can change RICE confidence and risk; it does not replace market-size or competitor research.

#### Pass A: Cheap Triage For All Stories

For each Story, load only enough detail to estimate:
- customer problem
- rough solution shape
- likely reach
- likely impact
- likely effort
- initial confidence tier

##### Step 3.1: Load Story Description

**IF task_provider == "linear":**
```
// configured tracker provider: getStory(id=storyId)
```

**ELSE IF task_provider == "github":**
```
gh issue view {storyId} -R {REPO} --json number,title,body,state,labels
```

**ELSE (file mode):**
```
Read("docs/tasks/epics/epic-{N}-*/stories/us{NNN}-*/story.md")
```

**Extract from Story:**
- **Feature:** Story title
- **Customer Problem:** From "So that [value]" + Context section
- **Solution:** From Technical Notes (implementation approach)
- **Rationale:** From AC + Success Criteria

##### Step 3.2: Build rough RICE estimate

Use Story + Epic context to assign:
- rough `Reach`
- rough `Impact`
- rough `Effort`
- initial `Confidence`

Mark one of:
- `full_research_required`
- `rough_estimate_ok`
- `borderline_needs_review`

**Send to Pass B only if:**
- candidate looks P0/P1 on rough score
- confidence is low
- Story is near a priority threshold
- Story has strategic or market-sensitive uncertainty

#### Pass B: Selective Deep Research

Only for Stories selected in Pass A, run full external research.

##### Step 3.3: Research Market Size

**WebSearch queries (based on depth):**
```
"[customer problem domain] market size TAM {current_year}"
"[feature type] industry market forecast"
```

**mcp__Ref query:**
```
"[domain] market analysis Gartner Statista"
```

**Extract:**
- Market size: $XB (with unit: B=Billion, M=Million)
- Growth rate: X% CAGR
- Sources: URL + date

**Confidence mapping:**
- Industry report (Gartner, Statista) → Confidence 0.9-1.0
- News article → Confidence 0.7-0.8
- Blog/Forum → Confidence 0.5-0.6

##### Step 3.4: Research Competition

**WebSearch queries:**
```
"[feature] competitors alternatives {current_year}"
"[solution approach] market leaders"
```

**Count competitors and classify:**

| Competitors Found | Competition Index | Ocean Type |
|-------------------|-------------------|------------|
| 0 | 1 | Blue Ocean |
| 1-2 | 2 | Emerging |
| 3-5 | 3 | Growing |
| 6-10 | 4 | Mature |
| >10 | 5 | Red Ocean |

##### Step 3.5: Calculate final RICE Score

```
RICE = (Reach x Impact x Confidence) / Effort
```

**Reach (1-10):** Users affected per quarter
| Score | Users | Indicators |
|-------|-------|------------|
| 1-2 | <500 | Niche, single persona |
| 3-4 | 500-2K | Department-level |
| 5-6 | 2K-5K | Organization-wide |
| 7-8 | 5K-10K | Multi-org |
| 9-10 | >10K | Platform-wide |

**Impact (0.25-3.0):** Business value
| Score | Level | Indicators |
|-------|-------|------------|
| 0.25 | Minimal | Nice-to-have |
| 0.5 | Low | QoL improvement |
| 1.0 | Medium | Efficiency gain |
| 2.0 | High | Revenue driver |
| 3.0 | Massive | Strategic differentiator |

**Confidence (0.5-1.0):** Data quality (from Step 3.2)

**Data Confidence Assessment:**

For each RICE factor, assess data confidence level:

| Confidence | Criteria | Score Modifier |
|------------|----------|----------------|
| HIGH | Multiple authoritative sources (Gartner, Statista, SEC filings) | Factor used as-is |
| MEDIUM | 1-2 sources, mixed quality (blog + report) | Factor ±25% range shown |
| LOW | No sources, team estimate only | Factor ±50% range shown |

**Output:** Show confidence per factor in prioritization table + RICE range (optimistic/pessimistic) to make uncertainty explicit.

**Effort (1-10):** Person-months
| Score | Time | Story Indicators |
|-------|------|------------------|
| 1-2 | <2 weeks | 3 AC, simple CRUD |
| 3-4 | 2-4 weeks | 4 AC, integration |
| 5-6 | 1-2 months | 5 AC, complex logic |
| 7-8 | 2-3 months | External dependencies |
| 9-10 | 3+ months | New infrastructure |

##### Step 3.6: Determine Priority

| Priority | RICE Threshold | Competition Override |
|----------|----------------|---------------------|
| P0 (Critical) | >= 30 | OR Competition = 1 (Blue Ocean monopoly) |
| P1 (High) | >= 15 | OR Competition <= 2 (Emerging market) |
| P2 (Medium) | >= 5 | - |
| P3 (Low) | < 5 | Competition = 5 (Red Ocean) forces P3 |

##### Step 3.7: Store and Clear

- Append row to in-memory results table
- Mark whether row is `full-research` or `rough-estimate`
- Clear Story description from context
- Move to next Story in queue

**Output per Story:** Complete row for prioritization table with confidence tier

---

### Phase 4: Generate Prioritization Table (5 min)

**Objective:** Create consolidated markdown output.

**Process:**

1. **Sort results:**
   - Primary: Priority (P0 → P3)
   - Secondary: RICE score (descending)

2. **Generate markdown:**
   - Use template from references/templates/prioritization_template.md
   - Fill: Priority Summary, Main Table, RICE Details, Sources
   - Explicitly show whether each Story used full research or rough estimate

3. **Save file:**
   ```
   Write: docs/market/[epic-slug]/prioritization.md
   ```

**Output:** Saved prioritization.md

---

### Phase 5: Summary & Next Steps (1 min)

**Objective:** Display results and recommendations.

**Output format:**
```
## Prioritization Complete

**Epic:** [Epic N - Name]
**Stories analyzed:** X
**Time elapsed:** Y minutes

### Priority Distribution:
- P0 (Critical): X Stories - Implement ASAP
- P1 (High): X Stories - Next sprint
- P2 (Medium): X Stories - Backlog
- P3 (Low): X Stories - Consider deferring

### Top 3 Priorities:
1. [Story Title] - RICE: X, Market: $XB, Competition: Blue/Red

### Saved to:
docs/market/[epic-slug]/prioritization.md

### Next Steps:
1. Review table with stakeholders
2. Run ln-300 for P0/P1 Stories first
3. Consider cutting P3 Stories
```

---

## Time-Box Constraints

| Depth | Per-Story | Total (10 Stories) |
|-------|-----------|-------------------|
| quick | 2-3 min | 20-30 min |
| standard | 5-7 min | 50-70 min |
| deep | 8-10 min | 80-100 min |

**Time management rules:**
- If Story exceeds time budget: keep rough estimate, mark lower confidence
- If total exceeds budget: reserve deep research only for high-potential or borderline Stories
- Parallel WebSearch where possible (market + competition)

---

## Token Efficiency

**Loading pattern:**
- Phase 2: Metadata only (~50 tokens/Story)
- Phase 3: Full description ONE BY ONE (~3,000-5,000 tokens/Story)
- After each Story: Clear description, keep only result row (~100 tokens)

**Memory management:**
- Sequential processing (not parallel)
- Maximum context: 1 Story description at a time
- Results accumulate as compact table rows

---

## Integration with Ecosystem

**Position in workflow:**
```
ln-210 (Scope → Epics)
     ↓
ln-220 (Epic → Stories)
     ↓
ln-230 (RICE per Story → prioritization table) ← THIS SKILL
     ↓
ln-300 (Story → Tasks)
```

**Dependencies:**
- WebSearch, mcp__Ref (market research)
- Task provider: configured tracker provider (load Epic, Stories) per `references/tracker_provider_contract.md`
- Glob, Write, Bash (file operations)

**Downstream usage:**
- Sprint planning uses P0/P1 to select Stories
- ln-300 processes Stories in priority order
- Stakeholders review before implementation

Structured worker output:
- return the prioritization summary envelope even in standalone mode
- write the same JSON artifact when `summaryArtifactPath` is provided

---

## Critical Rules

1. **Triage first** - do cheap scoring across all Stories before deep research
2. **Source all deep-research data** - every Market number needs source + date
3. **Prefer recent data** - last 2 years, warn if older
4. **Cross-reference when depth justifies it** - use 2+ sources for market-sensitive Stories
5. **Time-box strictly** - keep rough estimates when deeper research will not change the decision
6. **Confidence levels** - mark High/Medium/Low and whether score is rough or full-research
7. **No speculation** - only sourced claims, note "[No data]" gaps
8. **One Story at a time** - token efficiency critical
9. **Preserve language** - if user asks in Russian, respond in Russian

---

## Definition of Done

- [ ] Epic validated via the configured tracker provider
- [ ] All Stories loaded through metadata-first queue
- [ ] Pass A rough triage completed for all Stories
- [ ] Deep research limited to high-potential or low-confidence Stories
- [ ] RICE score calculated for each Story
- [ ] Competition index assigned (1-5)
- [ ] Priority assigned (P0/P1/P2/P3)
- [ ] Confidence tier and research depth visible in output
- [ ] Table sorted by Priority + RICE
- [ ] File saved to docs/market/[epic-slug]/prioritization.md
- [ ] Summary with top priorities and next steps
- [ ] Structured `story-prioritization-worker` summary returned
- [ ] Summary artifact written when `summaryArtifactPath` is provided
- [ ] Total time within budget

---

## Example Usage

**Basic usage:**
```
ln-230-story-prioritizer epic="Epic 7"
```

**With parameters:**
```
ln-230-story-prioritizer epic="Epic 7: Translation API" depth="deep"
```

**Specific Stories:**
```
ln-230-story-prioritizer epic="Epic 7" stories="US001,US002,US003"
```

**Example output (docs/market/translation-api/prioritization.md):**

| Priority | Customer Problem | Feature | Solution | Rationale | Impact | Market | Sources | Competition |
|----------|------------------|---------|----------|-----------|--------|--------|---------|-------------|
| P0 | "Repeat translations cost GPU" | Translation Memory | Redis cache, 5ms lookup | 70-90% GPU cost reduction | High | $2B+ | [M&M](link) | 3 |
| P0 | "Can't translate PDF" | PDF Support | PDF parsing + layout | Enterprise blocker | High | $10B+ | [Eden](link) | 5 |
| P1 | "Need video subtitles" | SRT/VTT Support | Timing preservation | Blue Ocean opportunity | Medium | $5.7B | [GMI](link) | 2 |

---

## Phase 6: Meta-Analysis

Optional reference: load `references/meta_analysis_protocol.md` only when the user asks for post-run meta-analysis or protocol-formatted run reflection.

Skill type: `planning-worker`. When requested, run after all phases complete. Output to chat using the `planning-worker` format.

## Reference Files

- **MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/environment_state_contract.md`
- **MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/storage_mode_detection.md`
- **MANDATORY READ:** Load `references/research_tool_fallback.md`

| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| [prioritization_template.md](references/templates/prioritization_template.md) | Output markdown template |
| [rice_scoring_guide.md](references/rice_scoring_guide.md) | RICE factor scales and examples |
| [research_queries.md](references/research_queries.md) | WebSearch query templates by domain |
| [competition_index.md](references/competition_index.md) | Blue/Red Ocean classification rules |

---

**Version:** 2.0.0
**Last Updated:** 2026-04-05