The Joy-Ease-Opportunity Framework
Every idea in IdeaBadger is scored across three dimensions. This isn't just busywork - it's a systematic way to compare apples to oranges when you have a dozen different project ideas competing for your attention.
Joy (How excited are you?)
Joy measures your personal motivation and enthusiasm for working on this idea. It's the "Sunday morning test" - would you be excited to work on this even when you don't have to?
- 1 - No joy: You'd only build this for the money
- 2 - Low joy: Mildly interesting but not exciting
- 3 - Moderate joy: You'd enjoy working on it
- 4 - High joy: Genuinely excited to dig in
- 5 - Maximum joy: You can't stop thinking about it
Joy matters because side projects are hard. Without genuine interest, you'll abandon ship when things get tough (and they will).
Ease (How hard is it to build?)
Ease measures the practical difficulty of executing on this idea. Consider your current skills, available time, technical complexity, and any dependencies.
- 1 - Very hard: Requires learning entirely new skills, months of work
- 2 - Hard: Significant challenges, unknown unknowns
- 3 - Moderate: Achievable with effort, some learning required
- 4 - Easy: Within your wheelhouse, clear path forward
- 5 - Very easy: Could ship in a weekend
Be honest here. Underestimating difficulty is the number one killer of side projects.
Opportunity (How big is the potential?)
Opportunity measures the market potential and business viability. It's not just about money - it could be impact, learning, or strategic value.
- 1 - No opportunity: Tiny niche, no clear path to value
- 2 - Low opportunity: Small market, limited potential
- 3 - Moderate opportunity: Decent market, some competition
- 4 - High opportunity: Clear demand, underserved market
- 5 - Maximum opportunity: Large market, strong demand, weak competition
How scores combine
IdeaBadger combines your three scores into a single display score (0-100). By default, the weights are:
- Opportunity: 50%
- Joy: 30%
- Ease: 20%
This weighting reflects that opportunity matters most for business outcomes, but joy keeps you going when things get hard.
Pro users can customise these weights on the account page to match their priorities. Some solo founders weight joy higher; others prioritise ease for quick wins.
Tips for scoring
- Score quickly, refine later - Your gut reaction is often accurate
- Use the full range - If everything is a 4, your scores aren't useful
- Revisit scores as you learn - Market research might change your opportunity score
- Compare similar ideas - Relative scoring matters more than absolute