I have built a lot of prioritization matrices. None of them has ever made a decision. The matrix is not the decision maker; it is the instrument that makes the decision defensible after a human makes it.
This template keeps that honest. Impact 1-5, effort 1-5, the quadrant computes itself, and then the column that matters: Decision. Do now, do next, defer, or cut. The rationale column is there for when someone asks in month four why their pet project slipped.
What's inside
The quadrant computes itself
Score impact and effort; the sheet places the item: quick win, big bet, fill-in, or time sink. No hand-sorting, no negotiating the placement.
A decision column, not just a ranking
A ranked list is not a decision. The template forces one of four verdicts per item, in writing.
A rationale you will thank yourself for
One sentence per decision. The audit trail for the month-four conversation.
How to use it
- List twice as many items as you have capacity for. If the list fits, it is not a prioritization, it is a plan.
- Score impact and effort in the open, with the room watching. Private scoring is how pet projects survive.
- Read the time-sink quadrant out loud. Cut it out loud.
- Record the decision and the rationale before the meeting ends.
When you outgrow the free version
The full Prioritization Matrix ($29) adds the anchored rubric and decision log. Want to run it live in the room? Try the free browser calculator or the full interactive version ($49). Or take all 17 tools for $99.
Questions PMs ask
Is this really free?
Yes. Email in, file out, unsubscribe anytime.
What does the $29 version add?
The anchored scoring rubric (what a 4-impact actually means, so scores stop being vibes) and a decision log tab that keeps the history across cycles. The free file runs one session; the paid one runs the quarter.
Excel or Google Sheets?
Both. Formulas and formatting carry over to Sheets.