A method for defining an optimization priority score and applying the score to improve performance of a wireless network comprising: obtaining a set of measurements including a plurality of measured signal levels and a plurality of associated measured signal qualities wherein the signal levels and the signal qualities are measured using signals from the wireless network; determining a plurality of ideal signal qualities (43, 78) and a plurality of average signal qualities (44, 79, 146) over a range spanned by the plurality of measured signal levels; determining a plurality of ideal signal quality deviations representing normalized signal quality differences between the plurality of ideal signal qualities (43, 78) corresponding to the plurality of measured signal levels and the plurality of measured signal qualities associated with the plurality of measured signal levels; determining a plurality of average signal quality deviations representing normalized signal quality differences between the plurality of average signal qualities (44, 79) corresponding to the plurality of measured signal levels and the plurality of measured signal qualities associated with the plurality of measured signal levels; calculating a plurality of optimization priority scores for the set of measurements based on the plurality of ideal signal quality deviations and the plurality of average signal quality deviations, wherein subsets of the measured signal qualities having a combination of larger ideal signal quality deviations and larger average signal quality deviations yield larger optimization priority scores; and prioritizing adjustments of configurations of the wireless network for geographical regions associated with subsets of the measurements having higher optimization priority scores. obtaining a set of measurements including a plurality of measured signal levels and a plurality of associated measured signal qualities wherein the signal levels and the signal qualities are measured using signals from the wireless network; determining a plurality of ideal signal qualities (43, 78) and a plurality of average signal qualities (44, 79, 146) over a range spanned by the plurality of measured signal levels; determining a plurality of ideal signal quality deviations representing normalized signal quality differences between the plurality of ideal signal qualities (43, 78) corresponding to the plurality of measured signal levels and the plurality of measured signal qualities associated with the plurality of measured signal levels; determining a plurality of average signal quality deviations representing normalized signal quality differences between the plurality of average signal qualities (44, 79) corresponding to the plurality of measured signal levels and the plurality of measured signal qualities associated with the plurality of measured signal levels; calculating a plurality of optimization priority scores for the set of measurements based on the plurality of ideal signal quality deviations and the plurality of average signal quality deviations, wherein subsets of the measured signal qualities having a combination of larger ideal signal quality deviations and larger average signal quality deviations yield larger optimization priority scores; and prioritizing adjustments of configurations of the wireless network for geographical regions associated with subsets of the measurements having higher optimization priority scores.