Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative

Prioritization Matrix

A Prioritization Matrix is a useful tool that can be used by teams to achieve consensus about an issue.  The Matrix helps rank problems or issues (usually generated through Brainstorming) by particular criteria that are important to the organization.  Once the Matrix is completed, the team will see which problems are the most important to work on improving first.

How to Create and Use a Prioritization Matrix:
Through a brainstorming process, complete the following table: 

Problem	Frequency	Importance	Feasibility	Total Points

                          

In the first column, list the problems/concerns/issues identified by the group.
Use the next few columns to describe the characteristics of those problems.  Examples of potential criteria presented in this table are: 
o    Frequency--how often does it occur?  Hourly?  Daily?  Weekly?  Monthly?  Rarely? 
o    Importance--how serious is the problem when it occurs?
o    Feasibility--how realistic is it to think the problem can be corrected?  

Now each team member rates each candidate problem on the list.  Depending on the size of the list, the scale for may range from 1 to 4 (shorter problem list) to 1 to 7 (longer problem list). 
Total all the ratings for a single problem together at the end of the row.  The totals will clearly illustrate how the group prioritizes the problems.  Sometimes multiple rounds of voting/rating will be used, with intervening group discussion, before a consensus prioritization is achieved.