Decision Matrix
Often called a 2x2 — fast, versatile, and powerful for prioritizing almost anything.
Overview
Often called a 2x2, this versatile exercise is fast and powerful. You can put almost anything on the X and Y axes to map problems to focus on, customer needs, feature prioritization, ideas, or anything else you're trying to evaluate.
A variation is the Eisenhower Matrix, an incredible way to prioritize competing priorities and make efficient use of your time. It's broken into four quadrants based on Urgency and Importance:
Do First — the most important and urgent tasks that need to be done today. Schedule — important but not as urgent; schedule them for later in the week. Delegate — urgent but less important; great candidates to hand off or ask for help with. Don't Do — if it isn't urgent or important, don't let it take your time.
Have Fun with Conflict
A 2x2 is a great start, but complex decisions or too many options can be harder to align on with a team. One practice we love makes it feel like musical chairs.
Put everyone in front of the board and start a 5-minute timer. Instruct everyone to silently move any sticky anywhere they want — and if they don't agree with where one sits, just move it. A sticky can move unlimited times until the timer stops.
You'll see some stickies move dozens of times between quadrants. By the end, the team is usually laughing out loud at the mayhem — and it turns a typical verbal argument into a fun exercise that leads to a deeper discussion about disagreement.