2x2 Prioritization Matrix Template
Help your team base important decisions on weighted criteria with the 2x2 Prioritization Matrix Template.
About the 2x2 Prioritization Matrix
The 2x2 prioritization matrix, or lean prioritization approach, is a tool that helps teams decide what to tackle next in their product backlog.
The method is a quick, efficient way for your team to focus on features most likely to be valuable to your customers versus effort actually taken to deliver those features.
Any team applying lean start-up methodologies can also use this matrix to make decisions and figure out where to focus their efforts in relation to where the risk is, or where the most valuable opportunities are.
If you need a matrix that accommodates different phases or iterations, and granularity of effort versus value (from high to low), you may be looking for a 3x3 prioritization method.
What is a 2x2 prioritization matrix?
This model is a priority matrix that can help product managers determine priorities, and is also suitable for anyone leading projects and initiatives who needs help deciding what their team should focus on. A 2x2 prioritization matrix typically has 4 segments representing varying levels of effort and value:
Big bets, aka “do it next”: Product features or tasks that are valuable but difficult to implement.
Quick wins, or “do it now”: Product features or tasks that are valuable and easy to implement.
Time sinks, aka “don’t do it”: Product features or tasks that aren’t worth investing in right now.
Maybes or “do if or when there’s time”: Low-value tasks that can be returned to later on.
The value parameter considers the business value of your product feature or idea. The effort parameter considers resources (like time, money, people) that may be needed to finish the tasks outlined.
When to use the 2x2 prioritization matrix
Agile development teams can use the 2x2 prioritization matrix to decide which features, fixes, and upgrades to work on next. This framework can help you decide the least amount of features you need to launch a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), or prioritize tasks for an upcoming Agile sprint.
Whether you’re a product manager or leading a new business initiative, it’s worth considering how each idea informs each of these elements:
Acquisition (gaining new customers)
Activation (when customers understand the value of the product or feature)
Reach (how many customers are impacted)
Revenue (the profitability of a product or feature)
Retention (returning, active customers)
Virality (influence or “stickiness” of the product or service)
Teams can also use the matrix to make business decisions such as:
New markets worth pursuing and prioritizing
Campaigns and messaging to invest in
Departments, functions, or capabilities worth building or expanding on next
Ideally, a 2x2 prioritization matrix helps your team create boundaries around what is realistic to tackle, and develop clarity and consensus around what’s most important for success, versus nice-to-have or unnecessary.
Create your own 2x2 prioritization matrix
Making your own 2x2 prioritization matrix is easy. Miro’s virtual collaboration platform is the perfect canvas to create and share. Get started by selecting the 2x2 Prioritization Matrix Template, then take the following steps to make one of your own.
Step 1: Define your business value
Ideally, tie the value of a product feature or initiative to how your organization drives value. Discuss with your team whether you’re looking at strategic, customer, or financial value. Edit the value parameter text as needed.
Step 2: Define your risks
Risks usually come in the form of implementation (complexity, cost, or effort) and business-related (failure to adapt to change, compliance needs, or operational issues). Consider both. Discuss with your team which are more likely to impact plans. Edit the risks text as needed.
Step 3: Edit your priority categories as needed
You can also label the quadrants “Challenge,” “Implement,” “Reconsider,” and “Possible.” Brainstorm with your team about what action words best fit your product or initiative.
Step 4: Confirm and reach a consensus on priorities
The matrix brings reason and logic to a team dynamic. Everyone may have different opinions when first planning, but ideally, you want to end sessions with shared language: “low hanging fruit,” “hot zone,” “special investments,” “possible but low-value,” “more research before committing,” “only if extra budget and time are available,” and “not right now.” Think of these phrases as a spectrum between effort and value. Make decisions and investments accordingly.
Get started with this template right now.
App Development Canvas Template
Works best for:
Market Research, Product Management, User Experience
Ever noticed that building a successful app requires lots of players and moving parts? If you’re a project manager, you definitely have. Lucky for you, an app development canvas will let you own and optimize the entire process. It features 18 boxes, each one focusing on a key aspect of app development, giving you a big-picture view. That way you can fine-tune processes and get ahead of potential problems along the way—resulting in a smoother path and a better, tighter product.
DMAIC Analysis Template
Works best for:
Agile Methodology, Design Thinking, Operations
Processes might not seem like the funnest thing to dive into and examine, but wow can it pay off—a more efficient process can lead to serious cost savings and a better product. That’s what DMAIC analysis does. Developed as part of the Six Sigma initiative, DMAIC is a data-driven quality strategy for streamlining processes and resolving issues. The technique is broken into five fundamental steps that are followed in order: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.
Four-Circle Venn Diagram
Works best for:
Venn Diagram
The Four Circle Venn Diagram template is designed for comparing four sets of data. Use this tool to identify commonalities and differences across multiple categories. This template is ideal for complex data analysis, strategic planning, and academic research. It helps you visually organize information, making it easier to understand and communicate insights. Perfect for educators, researchers, and professionals in need of detailed comparison tools.
Market Segmentation Matrix Template
Works best for:
Marketing, Strategic Planning, Product Management
Successful, compelling marketing begins and ends with knowing your audience — who they are, where they are, and what they want and expect. A market segmentation matrix will help you understand them on a deeper level. This business tool divides your target market into subsets based on demographics, geography, needs, interests, psychographics, or behavioral characteristics. You can then use these insights and data to hit it out of the park, by building better product, sales, and marketing strategies. Our template lets you set up and populate a Market Segmentation Matrix with ease.
UML State Machine Diagram Template
Works best for:
Software Development, Mapping, Diagrams
Visualize the workflow of a process and how objects perform actions based on different stimuli. State machine diagrams are valuable for understanding how an object responds to events at the different stages of its life cycle. They are also helpful for visualizing event sequences in a system.
HEART Framework Template
Works best for:
Desk Research, Project Management, User Experience
Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, and Task Success. Those are the pillars of user experience — which is why they serve as the key metrics in the HEART framework. Developed by the research team at Google, this framework gives larger companies an accurate way to measure user experience at scale, which you can then reference throughout the product development lifecycle. While the HEART framework uses five metrics, you might not need all five for every project — choose the ones that will be most useful for your company and project.