3x3 Prioritization Method Template

The 3x3 prioritization method offers a visual framework for effective allocation of time and resources within teams. It consists of four quadrants:

1. Quick wins: Essential actions that drive team success and yield the highest return on effort, prioritized above all else.
2. Major projects: Complex initiatives with long-term benefits, selectively chosen and executed efficiently for optimal results.
3. Filler activities: Routine tasks that can be deprioritized when necessary, allowing focus on more critical objectives.
4. Time sucks: Time-consuming activities that can be delegated or avoided to minimize wastage and improve productivity.

This adaptable matrix proves valuable in various scenarios, including daily team stand-ups, strategic action plans, and Agile sprint planning. It empowers teams to make informed decisions, streamline their workflows, and achieve success more efficiently.

When to use the 3x3 prioritization method

The 3x3 prioritization method is beneficial in various situations where decision-making and resource allocation are involved. Here are some instances when you can use this method:

• Project Planning

  When initiating a project, the 3x3 prioritization method helps identify the most critical tasks and allocate resources accordingly. It ensures that efforts are focused on high-impact areas, leading to efficient project execution.

• Daily Task Management

  Prioritizing daily tasks can be overwhelming. The 3x3 method provides a structured approach to categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance. It helps you determine which tasks should be addressed first, ensuring productivity and progress.

• Team Collaboration

  When collaborating within a team, the 3x3 prioritization method facilitates discussions and alignment. It allows team members to collectively assess and prioritize tasks, ensuring everyone understands the areas of focus and avoids wasting resources on low-value activities.

• Agile Sprint Planning

  Agile teams can utilize the 3x3 prioritization method during sprint planning sessions. It assists in identifying and prioritizing user stories or features that will bring the most value to the product or project, enabling efficient sprint execution.

Creating your own 3x3 prioritization matrix is a straightforward process. With FigJam's whiteboard tool, you can easily create and share your matrix. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Select the 3x3 Prioritization Method Template in FigJam's whiteboard tool.
2. Define a clear objective for your impact effort analysis. Determine if the objective is strategic, tactical, project-related, product- or service-related, or personal. Consider the scope or time frame, whether it's days, weeks, months, or over a year.
3. Brainstorm the actions needed to achieve your objectives. Examples include prioritizing planning session actions, establishing project team priorities, setting milestones for employee performance plans, or prioritizing features from a product backlog.
4. Collect and refine ideas from your team. Use sticky notes to capture everyone's contributions and ideas. Refine them through live calls or video chats, incorporating feedback as necessary.
5. Position ideas based on their impact and effort. Encourage team members to assess where each idea fits within the quadrant—quick win, major project, filler idea, or time suck—and move them accordingly.
6. Create an action plan with next steps. Determine if specific team members need to test an idea's validity, schedule follow-up meetings, or clarify impact and effort. Consider defining value qualitatively or quantitatively using scales, currency, time spent, or output volume.
7. Share the outcome with absent participants. Invite team members, clients, or stakeholders through Slack, email, or a public/private hyperlink to ensure everyone is informed about the details discussed during the session.