PIZZA Prioritisation: Why should you prioritise it above any other cuisine?
- It's versatile; not just the toppings, but you can eat it at any time of day.
- Mozzarella is stringy and delicious - clearly a superior cheese.
- You can eat it hot or cold.
Only joking! Did we get you? Whilst I could talk about pizza all day (and quite often do), this is a different kind of Pizza Prioritisation.
In this blog, I explore what we actually mean when talking about a Pizza Prioritisation Framework (using some pizza related examples). As with product delivery, project management is a core aspect of an experimentation programme. Smart prioritisation can be the difference between steady growth and spinning wheels. In this series of prioritisation frameworks, we explore the most widely used or innovative frameworks, comparing their strengths and weaknesses, and help you determine which fits best for you when managing experimentation programmes.
What is the PIZZA framework?
The PIZZA framework is a prioritisation framework for project delivery. It strikes assesses key aspects of running your programme, combining together 5 factors to rank projects on a wholistic basis.
P = Potential Users
How big is the slice?
How many people will this experiment affect? A small segment or your entire potentially very hungry audience?
I = Impact
How long is the cheese-pull?
Does the experiment have the potential to significantly boost conversions and delight users, or move the needle in any meaningful way?
Z = Zippyness
Hot and on time, guaranteed
How quickly can you build, test and launch the experiment? Is this 90 seconds in the microwave, 6 minutes in a wood-fire or are we going to need to wait 45 minutes while the delivery drivers come through?
Z = Zeal
How jealous will Instagram be when you post a pic?
This is a measure of how much it impacts the business and meets your ambitions. Not just with short-term goals, but things that your bosses-boss will also care about. In particular, we care about innovation.
A = Assurance
Is this a 2am, hope and pray pizza?
Good evidence supports innovation, and this framework regards well-researched ideas higher than gut-feels.
Calculating a score using the PIZZA framework
Potential users = % share of your website traffic. As a pro-personalisation framework, we cap the percentage at 40%. So 20% of site traffic would be a score of 20.
Impact = A score from 1 to 5.
Zippyness = A measure using the Fibonacci story points scoring system rounded up to the nearest 2. E.g. 1 point becomes 2. Calculated as 1/score to reward simpler ideas.
Zeal = A score from 1 to 5.
Assurance = A score from 1 to 10. 2 points for any or each of: Web Analytics, Session recordings, Heatmaps, Customer Interviews, Survey responses.
The formula:
PIZZA
For example: An experiment that affects 20% of site traffic (0.5), with an impact score of 4, that would take 8 story points (1/8 score), with a zeal score of 5, and have 2 supporting pieces of evidence (4 points) would score:
20 x 4 x (1/8) x 5 x 4 = score of 1. 80 x 0.125 x 20 = score of 200
Strengths of the PIZZA framework
- This strikes a good balance between speed, impact and the "cool factor" / innovation.
- The cap on Potential impact favours personalisation which we believe to be a long-term gain for any brand.
- This hugely rewards well researched ideas where many frameworks ignore evidence-backed hypotheses.
- Where most frameworks bias and reward simple ideas, this has a counterweight of rewarding innovation.
Weaknesses of the PIZZA framework
None. Bad pizza is still better than no pizza.
