Generate Ideas

Ease / Impact Matrix

When to use it

Use this template to help you determine which of your ideas are best to progress with based on the value they bring to both the user and the business.

Get the Ease / Impact Matrix template

Get this template plus the whole library of 59 tools, detailed instructions, access to fully designed sessions, facilitator guides and participant presentations, all for just $9.99 per month.

Get access

Already have a cohort link? Open it to sign in and download. Buying for a team? See organisation licences.

Completed Ease / Impact Matrix Template Example

What’s the purpose

Gain a quick snapshot of all the activities you are working on within the portfolio or new areas of opportunity you want to develop. The Ease/Impact Matrix is a great decision-making tool to ensure you are focussing your time and resources on the highest areas of value. Plotting existing or new products on the matrix allows you to quickly assess which activities are low/high effort and see the real value these activities generate.

How to do it

Start in step one, by adding your How Might We challenge.
Next, with your design team, brainstorm solutions for your challenge in the space in step two. You can also add ideas that you have already generated in other templates by copying and pasting them across.
- Start a timer for a short period of time and allow everyone to add ideas individually in silence.
- Debrief as a team by sharing your ideas with one another. As you share, build on one another’s thoughts and cluster similar ideas next to each other.
Now, as a team, position all of your solutions on the 2 x 2 matrix with complexity / ease of implementation on the X axis and value / potential impact on the Y axis. Either copy or move the sticky notes across. Continue until all of the ideas are plotted onto the matrix and a clear picture begins to emerge.
Once you have plotted all of your ideas on the matrix, you can decide which are providing / could provide the most value and which are areas to deprioritize. Low complexity / high impact opportunities are those you want to invest in, whilst high complexity / low impact may be those to consider discontinuing.

Helpful tips

Ensure that the key decision makers are involved to make this exercise extra efficient.

Using this method in your day-to-day work

Ever find it hard to decide what to do next, especially when there is so much to do? Either on your own or as a team, using the Ease / Impact Matrix can be a powerful tool to help you get unstuck and ensure you are putting effort in the right places. You will quickly see where you are allocating effort and which of these activities are most impactful, so you can make better decisions on where to focus.

Learning Lab

The lesson behind this method

The lesson page is open to everyone. Watching the video needs an account.

Want to learn more?

Back to homepage