The 100-Feature Trap
You have a backlog of 100 features. You start building. 6 months later: still no launch. Your competitor shipped 3 months ago. You're dead.
70% of startups die from scope creep, not from building the wrong thing.
The ICE Score Framework
ICE = (Impact + Confidence + Ease) / 3
- Impact (1-10): Effect on your North Star Metric
- Confidence (1-10): How sure you are it will work
- Ease (1-10): How easy to build (inverse of complexity)
Rule: Only features with ICE > 8 make the MVP.
Example: Project Management SaaS
| Feature | I | C | E | ICE | MVP? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Task creation | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9.7 | ✅ |
| AI task suggestions | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5.3 | ❌ |
| Kanban board | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8.7 | ✅ |
The 10-Feature Rule
- Core Features (3-5): Without these, product is useless
- Essential Support (2-3): Make core features usable
- Quick Wins (2-3): Fast features that add perceived value
Total: 7-11 features MAX. Never more than 15.
90-Day Roadmap
Phase 1: Foundation
Days 1-30
Auth, CRUD, basic UI
Phase 2: Core
Days 31-60
Main features (the 10)
Phase 3: Polish
Days 61-90
Bug fixes, onboarding, launch
🗺️ Generate Your MVP Roadmap
CharliA scores features with ICE and creates your 90-day plan.
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