Weighted Decision Matrix
You have two or three options in front of you. You have thought about them for weeks. Every time you lean towards one, a reason for another comes back, and the conversation in your head starts again from the beginning.
The problem is usually not a lack of information. It is that you are trying to hold everything in your head at once, and the head is not built for that. The Weighted Decision Matrix takes the decision out of your head and puts it on paper, where you can look at it.
Where it comes from
In 1772 Benjamin Franklin described to his friend Joseph Priestley a method he called “Moral or Prudential Algebra”. He divided a sheet of paper into two columns, pro and con, added reasons over several days, then compared the weight of each reason and crossed out those that balanced each other.
The Weighted Decision Matrix keeps Franklin’s central idea, that not all reasons weigh the same, and extends it to more than two options at once.
How to use it
Step 1. Name your options
Write down the options you are actually considering, between two and five. If you have more than five, you are probably not yet at the decision stage: first reduce the list.
Step 2. Decide what matters
List the criteria that matter to you for this decision, between four and eight. Salary, time, growth, the people you would work with, where you would live: whatever is relevant to you, not what should be relevant.
Check that the criteria do not overlap. “Salary” and “financial security” may be the same thing written twice, and then that factor counts double.
Step 3. Give each criterion a weight
Score each criterion from 1 (it matters a little) to 5 (it matters a great deal). Do this before looking at the options, so that the weights reflect what you value and not the option you already prefer.
Step 4. Score each option
For each criterion, score each option from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). Work one criterion at a time, across all options, rather than one option at a time. It is easier to compare.
Step 5. Do the maths
Multiply each score by the weight of its criterion, then add up the results for each option. The option with the highest total is the one that best fits what you said matters.
Step 6. Read the result
This is the step that matters most. Look at the result and notice your reaction.
If you feel relief, the matrix has probably confirmed something you already knew but could not yet justify. If you feel disappointment, that is information too: often a criterion is missing, or a weight does not reflect what you really value. Go back, change it, and see what happens.
The number is not the answer. It is a way of making visible what you are actually deciding on.
An example
Anna has three options: stay in her current job, accept an offer from another company, or go freelance. These are her criteria and weights:
| Criterion | Weight | Stay | New offer | Freelance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial stability | 5 | 5 → 25 | 4 → 20 | 2 → 10 |
| Learning and growth | 4 | 2 → 8 | 4 → 16 | 4 → 16 |
| Autonomy | 3 | 2 → 6 | 3 → 9 | 5 → 15 |
| Work-life balance | 4 | 4 → 16 | 3 → 12 | 3 → 12 |
| Enjoying the daily work | 3 | 2 → 6 | 4 → 12 | 4 → 12 |
| Total | 61 | 69 | 65 |
The new offer comes out ahead, but not by much. So Anna asks herself a question: how much does autonomy really matter to me? If she raises its weight from 3 to 5, the new offer and freelancing end up level, at 75 each.
The matrix has not decided for her. It has shown her exactly where the decision lies: in how much she values her autonomy. That is a much more precise question than “what should I do?”.
Common mistakes
- Too many criteria. With twelve criteria each one counts for little, and the result flattens out. Keep the ones that really make a difference.
- Criteria that overlap. The same factor under two names counts twice.
- Working backwards. Adjusting weights and scores until the option you already wanted wins. If you catch yourself doing this, the matrix has still told you something: you have already decided.
- Trusting the number more than yourself. The total is a starting point for thinking, not a verdict.
When to use another tool
The matrix works when you know your options and need to choose between them. If you do not yet know what you want, start with the Wheel of Life. If you know what you want but cannot see the path, G.R.O.W. is more useful.
And if a decision keeps you stuck despite every tool, it may be worth talking it through. That is what a coaching session is for. Coaching is not a substitute for professional help: if a decision is causing you significant distress, please speak to a qualified professional.
