RICE AND ICE MODELS AS TOOLS FOR FORMALIZING PRIORITIZATION OF IT PRODUCT FUNCTIONALITY IN TRAINING FUTURE IT SPECIALISTS

Abstract

The relevance of the study is determined by the growing role of product solutions in the development of IT products and the need to develop skills in future IT-specialists for the rational prioritization of functionality in conditions of limited resources and high uncertainty. Insufficient formalization of this process in educational training leads to the dominance of intuitive decisions that do not meet the modern requirements of Agile and data-driven approaches. The article aims to investigate the effectiveness of ICE and RICE models in formalizing the process of prioritizing IT product functionality in the early stages of the life cycle through comparative analysis and empirical testing, and to determine the pedagogical feasibility of their application in training future IT-specialists. The research methodology is based on an empirical analysis of the results of laboratory work performed by third-year students majoring in 122 “Computer Science” within the discipline “Entrepreneurship and Startups.” The study uses methods of comparative analysis, formalisation, and generalisation of the results of functional prioritisation using ICE and RICE models in the Hygger environment. The results showed that the ICE model is an effective tool for the initial selection of ideas at the product conceptualization stage, while the RICE model provides a more objective and analytically sound assessment of priorities when quantitative data is available. It was concluded that the combined use of both models contributes to the formation of systematic product thinking and skills in students. The results showed that the ICE model is an effective tool for the initial selection of ideas at the product conceptualization stage, while the RICE model provides a more objective and analytically sound assessment of priorities when quantitative data is available. This approach reflects a shift in IT education from traditional subject-based learning to project-oriented education, in which students learn planning, teamwork, and assessment of development effectiveness. Thus, the study's results demonstrate that integrating ICE and RICE into the educational process prepares competitive IT specialists to operate within the data-driven product development paradigm and meet Industry 4.0 requirements.