The Eisenhower Decision Matrix incorporated into portfolio, program and project management

Revision as of 09:19, 19 March 2022

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Abstract

"I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent."

– Dwight D. Eisenhower.^[1]

The modern working person strives to reach the absolute best version of oneself. By doing so, matters of self-management and the optimization of every decision are to be made. However, it is often a question of prioritizing and being selective with the extent of tasks to be done. Time is our most precious resource and allocating our time right is an art in itself.

Project, program, and portfolio management have a wide variety of tasks within the scope of time management. A significant element of time management is the managerial competencies of allocating time wisely in a specific project in order to meet deadlines and conclude all work before a given project completion date. An efficient management tool in terms of time management is “The Eisenhower Decision Matrix” which is invented by the former American President, Dwight D. Eisenhower. A time management tool that on one hand completes the comprehensive essentials of time management, yet, on the other hand, incentively tries to achieve the process from task management by monitoring a project's tasks through its variety of stages from start to finish.

Therefore, this article aims to concretize and examine the incorporation of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to project, program, and portfolio management. The average worker is productive for 60% or less each day, which is surprisingly a lot and disturbing.^[2] Yet, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is a further developed tool from the archaic to-do list where tasks are prioritized and unuseful elements are eliminated to improve productivity and elevate the quality of decision-making. Furthermore, the article is going to reflect on how the matrix can be applied to project, program, and portfolio management, and what limitations it consists of.

What is the Eisenhower Decision Matrix?

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is as already recalled an effective tool to structure, prioritize and manage tasks and time to attain a fairly more efficient and productive workflow. Essentially, it is a system that encourages you to dispose of your activities into four priorities.

1. Important and urgent tasks
2. Important, but not urgent tasks
3. Not important, yet urgent tasks
4. Not important and not urgent tasks

By clarifying the four priorities, it is significant to be able to distinguish the fundamental differences between urgent and important.

Urgent & Important

Urgent work demands us to be responsive. Urgency needs attention and completion within a specific timeframe and a relatively short deadline. Typically, urgent tasks are a natural result of a delayed course of time, downgraded tasks, or even immediate changes and general procrastination. Accordingly, urgencies can be reasoned by many factors and we tend to forget the importance of urgent tasks like sensitive and difficult conversations with coworkers, preparation of presentations, team disagreements, etc.^[3]

Important work demands us to be proactive. Importance is associated with the vision, mission, and goals of the company. Nevertheless, when handling tasks with a matter of importance, it requires quality and time. Quality in terms of strategic planning, analyzing, process mapping, and coordinating the team. Time in terms of avoiding urgencies that reverberate the future workflow. However, reverberation in a negative understanding where the team has to spend more time readjusting the impact of suboptimal decision-making in urgent tasks that results in middling outcomes. In addition to this, the tendency of focusing on urgency instead of important tasks is a problem. It’s a result where the progression of important tasks is at the expense of urgent tasks. It is a temporary redemption, and essentially should the important tasks outdo the majority of a team’s workload. If the urgent tasks make up the majority of the workload capacity, there is most likely a fundamental issue on the task and time management setup.

Concept of The Eisenhower Decision Matrix

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is a canvas framework separated into four quadrants. Every quadrant has a specific purpose in terms of managing your task and time proactively.

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Quadrant 1 – the “Do”

The “Do” quadrant is characterized as the most urgent and important quadrant where tasks at this point are at the highest priority. Nevertheless, tasks enclosed by this quadrant are supposed to be done on the very same day or so, in order to avoid any negative outcomes. As these tasks have fairly high importance on the daily agenda, they are considered to consume most of the energy and time capacity for respective who must perform the tasks. Examples could be deadlines, emergencies, calamities, among others.^[4]

Quadrant 2 – the “Decide”

The “Decide” quadrant is characterized as a less urgent but important task. To avoid the risks of stress and unnecessary complexity in time and task management, responsibilities within the second quadrant must be considered significant and therefore scheduled well. However, it is a matter of deciding when the completion date is to be set and a realistic period of time should be assigned.^[4]

Quadrant 3 – the “Delegate”

“We accomplish all that we do through delegation, either to time or to other people”. The “Delegate” quadrant is categorized as less important tasks for the respective. However, it might be considered more important to others and consequently urgent for the team. Yet, considering the priorities of task completion, it is a delegation job. To make this task distributable it is essential to possess a cooperative team and organization where team spirit and staff knowledge are keywords. Tasks within the “Delegate” quadrant are supposed to be delegated to persons who are even more qualified to complete the task. Nonetheless, delegated tasks shouldn’t be erased from the scope. It should on the other hand be tracked to some extent, making sure of completion. In fact, without tracking is as futile as not doing the task at all because no one is held accountable and delegated tasks might heap up into failure within the business.^[4]

Quadrant 4 – the “Delete”

The “Delete” quadrant is the last of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. Nevertheless, it is also the most irrelevant quadrant for the respective. In regards to this, tasks within quadrant 4 should be deleted and considered as the things you should not be doing at all. Additionally, these tasks are characterized as bad habits and are the complete sinner to zero productivity. Examples of time-waste tasks are for instance surfing online and spending time on private matters that assumingly can wait, etc. However, it is also a delicate balance in for example social interactions with colleagues and when it becomes a bad habit. Hu-man interactions and social activities are essential for well-being in a synergistic work environment. When tasks are becoming a bad habit either it’s personal habits or interactional habits with coworkers, you should be able to identify them and eliminate them.^[4]

Application of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix

First of all, it is an excellent idea to identify certain guidelines on how to applicate the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to any process like a recipe. This recipe could look like the following:

1. Clarify your missions and goals
2. Make to-do lists on your matrix to keep up the memorization.
3. Keep the matrix at a limit of tasks.
4. Always keep in mind to prioritize the tasks into the four quadrants.
5. Evaluate at the start and end of the workday.
6. Eliminate distractions.
7. Remember that delegating tasks still comes with a responsibility.
8. Try not to procrastinate and be productive in every aspect.

The value core of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is essentially followed by the 8 elements stated above. This can be implemented into private matters as well as work environments. Furthermore, it would be suitable to use in every dimensional aspect – from family or personal perspectives to project, program, or portfolio perspectives. Yet, how can the Eisenhower Decision Matrix be applied to project, program, and portfolio management besides following the core elements? The application will be explained later in the article. Before moving on, a few principles and techniques will be specified and their’s relevance to the matrix.

The Pareto principle

The Pareto principle should be put to use in the four quadrants of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to organize tasks. The Pareto principle, known as the 80/20 rule, where roughly 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort, is an efficient way of approaching the matrix.^[5] Instead of having the primary focus on quadrant 1, the “Do” quadrant, could be congested at first glance. However, by deliberate planning and effective implementation, you can allocate more work to quadrant 2.

Eat the frog first principle

Mark Twain once said, ”Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”^[6], which is considered as devoted words in the field of time management. By following the principle of Mark Twain, especially for quadrant 1 – the “Do” quadrant, it will be possible to gain enhanced completion of the hardest to-do tasks. Furthermore, you will most likely enjoy completing the next tasks once the first is completed. By interpreting frogs as tasks and eating inferred as completing, eating frogs as a starting point sounds daunting. However, the idea of doing the most difficult or important task as the first thing will have an encouraging influence on the rest of the day as an impact-driven technique. Nevertheless, it is an efficient catalysator for productive self-management and even project, program, and portfolio management. Eat the frog first gives incentives to strike while the iron is hot, and accumulate completed tasks to energize and motivate a team or an individual.

Pomodoro technique

In addition to the “Eat the frog first”-principle, the Pomodoro technique is a popular method to be used in the “Do” quadrant. This technique is an efficient management technique where the concept is to work in blocks of time. Typically, the blocks are based on 25 minutes intervals of productive work (Pomodoro sessions), followed by a minor 5-minute pause. This sequence is driven by four pomorodos (sessions), which is supported by a break of 30 minutes. Last but not least, the work cycle is repeated. As the Pomodoro technique is more suitable for smaller subtasks, it encourages breaking big work into smaller subtasks of approximately 25 minutes. In addition, the method is naturally more suitable for smaller project teams and optimally individual self-management due to the complexity of applying it to bigger groups.

Implementation of the matrix in project, programme, and portfolio management

Accessibility Governance Matrix^[7]

The matrix has been used as a benchmark for many innovative task and time management tools. When explaining the basics of the four quadrants of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix it seems quite simple to apply, and essentially it is. However, I believe in the immense power of the collective knowledge of people and when one is not evolving, he is not only stagnating; he is devolving. Speaking of the idea of Dwight D. Eisenhower, it became the foundation of new innovative management tools where the matrix merged with Kanban Workflows, Gantt Charts, while we evolved and progressed. Figure 2 is an example of how the matrix can be further developed and merged with other methods. In this case, the new matrix is adapted from the Eisenhower Decision Matrix and merged with a PPQ scale to ease the reading of priorities in action - the matrix is called the Accessibility Governance Matrix. However, in the project, programme and portfolio management vernacular, the significant purpose of using the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is to keep on track of the timeline and align tasks with the priorities. In terms of the project, program, and portfolio management, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix should be used to the extent it makes sense. A lot of the advantages include self-management elements. However, it can be an extremely useful method to keep a project, program, and portfolio team aligned with the organizational significants. The Eisenhower Decision Matrix can be used as a broad understanding, and the evolving human being has illuminated the matrix as a foundation into complex and specialized work templates.

Portfolio management

• The matrix can be applied to identify the most important tasks for the portfolio management stakeholders. Which programs and projects entail the portfolio management strategy that aligns with the organization’s goals?
• Make a timeline for the most important tasks.
• The Eisenhower Decision Matrix should be used as a benchmark for major tasks for the portfolio management team and reevaluated at every team meeting (most likely once a week).

Program management

• In terms of program management, the matrix can be applied to the identification of the most important tasks of program management stakeholders. What projects entail the program management strategy that aligns with the portfolio management strategy and the organization’s goals?
• Make a timeline for the most important tasks.
• Like in portfolio management, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix should be used as a benchmark for major tasks for the portfolio management team and reevaluated at every team meeting (most likely once a week).

Project management

• Project management is often a more day-to-day task area and the Eisenhower Decision Matrix should be handled so. On the contrary to program and portfolio management, project management can take more advantage of the matrix on a daily basis. Tasks can be evaluated daily in the project team and applied to the individuals to specify what task relies on the individual.
• Can be used more generally as well the same notion of portfolio and program management. Furthermore, a timeline can be made in terms of the daily agenda and a more general perspective.

Self-management

• Ideally, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is applied to organize self-management. By providing more productivity as an individual, you are contributing productivity to the project team.
• It is a perfect management tool to improve both task and time management. In terms of self-management, it can be used daily to improve productivity. We are our own worst enemy when it comes to lack of focus, productivity, and execution.

To wrap it up, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix has a resonation to be used in every dimension. However, it is very useful in terms of using it in smaller projects and self-oriented agendas. It can be valuable for bigger perspectives like portfolio and program management to benchmark the key tasks within the portfolio or program. Yet, the matrix is making a difference when it comes to project management and self-management. In terms of task and time management, it comes to its own because of the opportunity to organize, prioritize and execute daily.

Limitations of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix

Generally, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is an effective and useful tool in order to distinguish which tasks deserve attention and what pecking order to put them. Improving your time management by unambiguously setting priorities in a way that completes tasks in proportion to their importance. However, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix has some disadvantages in terms of project, program, and portfolio management. First, it can be complicated to compartmentalize the importance of a task properly. Consequently, important tasks can be misplaced, and even worse is, they are at risk of not being completed sufficiently. On the other hand, urgent tasks are determined by deadlines, and therefore easy to identify. Yet, if no deadline is defined, the team must make use of their self-managing integrity to determine the level of urgency.

Secondly, an uneven distribution of tasks can be a disadvantage of the matrix. This is explained often by the task that needs completion only concerns a few stakeholders, while important tasks are frequently urgent. Furthermore, urgent tasks are rarely insignificant. As a result, tasks like these can’t essentially be delegated or procrastinated.

Thirdly, and probably one of the major limitations of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is that it is based on simplicity. In fact, there are practically two parameters to process; importance and urgency which is no disadvantage at first. However, when more criteria are needed, it becomes a disadvantage if the team can’t simplify it into the mentioned parameters that are characterized by the method. Yet, it isn’t always possible to streamline the criteria into only importance and urgency, and external factors such as resources, complexity, and workload requirements aren’t identified within the tool.

Finally, despite the simplicity of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix, it has a time-consuming factor of categorizing, prioritizing, and mapping the tasks of the day’s agenda. In addition, it’s easy to be engulfed by organizing the tasks, however, it is not the optimal outcome we seek but rather the completion of the organized tasks we eventually strive for. Nonetheless, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix is no flex room, but rather a grid that easily can become overwhelming and unmanageable as a result of generating task paralysis when too many tasks are represented.

Nevertheless, we now know that The Eisenhower Decision Matrix has its flaws, yet, it definitely has its strengths. However, The Eisenhower Decision Matrix isn’t part of the ‘status quo’ of ISO, PMI, or British standards. Yet, concerning the Danish Standards (ISO), the conceding reality is that the method could respectively make its ground within the respective principles and methods of the standards in for example ISO 21502 – Project, Programme and Portfolio management – guide on project management. Even though The Eisenhower Decision Matrix isn’t part of the ‘status quo’ of the standards, it’s rather a tool based on some of the fundamentals of what we can elaborate on the standards. The following citation is reasoned in the ISO 21502: “Activities should be logically sequenced to support the development of a realistic, achievable, and controllable schedule. Activities within the project should be described with dependencies in order to determine the critical path or to identify alternative approaches”^[8], state of the art in schedule management that can be strongly aligned with the purpose of The Eisenhower Decision Matrix.

Conclusion In a nutshell

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is an effective tool to optimize the process within time and task management. The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is an excellent approach for every project, program, or portfolio management team to categorize and prioritize the tasks on a general level that are important or non-important and urgent or nonurgent. However, it is especially useful to apply it into self-management where the task can be a bit more specified to enhance productivity for oneself and the team. Additionally, by determining which tasks are in the four quadrants, you can identify the urgent and important tasks hence allocating the required time to where it is needed the most. Nevertheless, The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is has become a benchmark for a lot of refined time and task management tools that (need an ending).

“status quo” of the standards - compare it. Is it a part of it?

Annotated Bibliography

Stephen Covey, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - 30th Anniversary", (UK, Simon & Schuster, 2020).

In this self-help book, Covey redefines the Eisenhower Decision Matrix productivity tool presenting a perspective in which people achieve goals effectively by categorizing tasks into four parameters as well as looking into oneself's character.

Dansk Standard, DS/ISO 21502 (København, 2020)

DS/ISO 21502 is a prominent document that represents state of art in project, program and portfolio management. The standard provides guidelines that are applicable to organisations, public and private charitable, as well as projects, programmes and portfolios.

References

1. ↑ The Mind Tools, Nov. 2016, URL: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.htm.
2. ↑ Apollo Technical, March 2021, URL: https://www.apollotechnical.com/employee-productivity-statistics/.
3. ↑ Vinita Bansal, 2020, URL: https://www.techtello.com/eisenhower-productivity-matrix/.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Stephen Covey, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - 30th Anniversary", (UK, Simon & Schuster, 2020).
5. ↑ Dunford. R., Su. Q., and Tamang. E., 'The Pareto Principle, (Plymouth University, 2014)
6. ↑ White, B. (2016). How to Start Your Workday. Family Practice Management, 23(2), 26-30.
7. ↑ Mfondoum, A. N., Tchindjang, M., Mfondoum, J. M., & Makouet, I. Eisenhower matrix* Saaty AHP= Strong actions prioritization? Theoretical literature and lessons drawn from empirical evidences. IAETSD-Journal for Advanced Research in Applied Sciences, 6, 13-27.
8. ↑ Dansk Standard, DS/ISO 21502 (København, 2020), s. 32