

The horizontal axis, however, is more flexible. There are countless versions of these matrices out there, and generally, the vertical axis is some form of More Important vs. The 2×2 technique lends itself to a variety of decision-making purposes, including the Eisenhower Matrix (also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix) for prioritizing tasks, and Assumptions Mapping for challenging the premises behind your innovation project. But regardless of your terminology, the general rules remain the same.ĭon’t get excited - I’m not talking about a battle to the death or suggesting you go all lumberjack.

Pick the terms that best help you achieve your objective. Uncertainty on their main 2×2, then they create another 2×2 in the top right quadrant for Importance vs. But you need to determine the terms that fit each axis best for your purposes. Our 2×2 prioritization matrix balances the terms More Important and Less Important with Harder and Easier. You will still need to use dot voting, stack ranking, or - if necessary - a coin toss to help narrow your options down to that one critical priority. If you’re using 2×2 prioritization when working with 20-40 sticky notes, this process will narrow it down to the 5-10 most relevant risks. There should only be ONE priority at the end for your team to focus all your activity around. Lean prioritization is…well…for prioritizing. (Click here for Dan Toma‘s five-step process.)
Release priority matrix how to#
This is a quick reference guide on how to properly use a 2×2 prioritization matrix to analyze your risks and figure out which ones to focus your energy on. Granted, it relies on the fuzzy logic of humans to achieve its goals - not exactly objective - but for breaking down important decisions, its ease and clarity is hard to beat. The 2×2 has a lot of benefits - it’s quick, it helps avoid protracted discussion in lean prioritization, and it’s a clear way to get team members to buy in next steps. A 2×2 matrix is a common technique used in lean startup, design thinking, and agile. Risk mapping is one of the most important activities an entrepreneur should conduct when laying out a potential business model.
