Value vs effort matrix
Rate each idea’s value and effort from 1 to 10 and see where it lands on a 2×2 matrix: quick win, big bet, fill-in or time sink. Free, no sign-up, and nothing you type leaves your browser.
Scores of 6 and above count as high. Within each quadrant, ideas are sorted by value ÷ effort.
Quick wins
Big bets
Fill-ins
Time sinks
Result
Quick wins (1)
- Export to CSV
Big bets (1)
- Single sign-on (SSO)
Fill-ins (1)
- Dark mode
Time sinks (1)
- Rewrite the editor
Your list is saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent to UserNote.
What is a value vs effort matrix?
It’s the simplest prioritization method there is: rate each idea for the value it brings and the effort it takes, and plot it on a 2×2 grid. The four quadrants suggest what to do:
| Quick wins | High value, low effort. Do these first. |
|---|---|
| Big bets | High value, high effort. Worth doing, but plan them and pick one or two at a time. |
| Fill-ins | Low value, low effort. Do them when there’s spare time, or batch them. |
| Time sinks | Low value, high effort. Usually say no, kindly. |
Some versions call these quadrants “major projects” and “thankless tasks” or “money pits”; the idea is the same.
Tips
- Rate value from the customer’s side: how many people want it and how much it helps them, not how interesting it is to build.
- Rate effort as the whole job, including testing, docs and support, not only coding.
- Compare ideas against each other rather than against an absolute scale. If everything ends up in one quadrant, spread the ratings out.
- When you need more than four buckets, RICE gives every idea its own score.
Other prioritization methods
Base value on real demand
Value is the rating most often guessed. Counting how many customers asked for something is a far better start.
UserNote gives you a feedback board where customers post ideas and vote without creating an account, so each idea comes with a vote count.