Impact and Effort Matrix
This exercise helps teams prioritize actions by evaluating their potential impact against the effort required to implement them. It encourages thoughtful decision-making as participants categorize ideas based on these two critical factors.
How to run it
- 1
Define a clear goal with the group, phrasing it as a 'What to do' or 'What we need' question.
- 2
Ask participants to brainstorm ideas individually, writing each on a sticky note.
- 3
Gather everyone's ideas and guide them to place each sticky note on a 2Ă—2 matrix based on its anticipated impact and effort.
- 4
Discuss the placement of each idea, encouraging input on why it belongs in a particular quadrant.
Tips
Ensure everyone understands the definitions of impact and effort before starting.
Facilitate an open discussion, allowing quieter members to share their thoughts.
Encourage participants to think critically about the feasibility of each idea.
Variations
You can adjust the criteria for impact and effort based on specific project needs or create multiple matrices for different goals.
Where it fits
Related methods
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from SessionLab. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.