Prioritization Matrix
The prioritization matrix is a useful technique you can use with your
team members or with your users to achieve consensus about an issue.
The matrix helps you rank problems or issues (usually generated through
brainstorming) by a particular criterion
that is important to your organization. Then you can more clearly see
the problems that should be solved first.
When should we use prioritization matrix?
The prioritization matrix may be used when you need to prioritize problems,
or to achieve consensus about an issue.
How do we develop a prioritization matrix?
- Brainstorm - Conduct a brainstorming session on the problems users
or team members have with your program or service. You may visit the
brainstorming tool to learn
how to conduct a group brainstorming session.
- Fill out the prioritization matrix chart with the group:
| Problem |
Frequency |
Importance |
Feasibility |
Total Points |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
- In the first column, write down the problems that were mentioned
in the brainstorming session.
- In the second to fourth columns, define your criteria. Examples
of some typical criteria are:
- Frequency: How frequent does the problem occur?
Does it occur often or on rare occasions only?
- Importance: From the point of view of the users,
what are the most important problems? What are the problems that
you want to resolve first?
- Feasibility: Is it realistic that we can resolve
the problem? Will it be easy or difficult?
You can choose other criteria if they better fit in the situation
you are discussing. For example, for a more quantitative comparison,
you could use cost, amount of time, or other numerical indicators
as the criteria.
- Rank/Vote. Each participant now votes three times for each criteria.
Each participant votes nine times in total.
- Sum up all the votes. The totals help you see clearly how to prioritize
the problems.
 More
Quality Tools
|
