The Action Priority Matrix categorises tasks according to their potential impact and the effort required. Plotting tasks on a two-dimensional grid helps identify priorities and activities that can be delegated, postponed or stopped.
How to use this tool
List the actions
List the candidate actions.
Agree impact and effort scales
Agree definitions and scales for impact and effort.
Score and plot each action
Score and plot each action on the matrix.
Agree priorities together
Discuss assumptions, dependencies and capacity before agreeing priorities.
References & further reading
Origin: Original source not reliably established.
Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.