Implementing priority matrices and Eisenhower framework in monday.com
We need a better way to prioritize tasks beyond just 'high/medium/low' priority. I've heard about using the Eisenhower matrix (urgent/important) in project management tools. How can we implement this in monday.com?
3 Answers
Here's how to build an Eisenhower matrix in monday.com: Create a board with four groups: 'Do First' (Urgent + Important), 'Schedule' (Important + Not Urgent), 'Delegate' (Urgent + Not Important), and 'Eliminate' (Not Urgent + Not Important). Add two Status columns: one for 'Urgency' (Now, Later, Someday) and one for 'Importance' (Critical, Important, Low). Use the 'Item view' to create a Kanban board that visualizes the matrix. Automations help: When urgency changes to 'Now' and importance is 'Critical', automatically move to 'Do First' group. For a cleaner approach, use the Matrix view (available on Pro+ plans) which provides a true 2x2 visualization. We also added a Formula column: IF(AND({Urgency}='Now',{Importance}='Critical'),'Do First','') to calculate priority score for dashboards.
We use a simpler version: a Priority Score formula column. Formula: ({Urgency Rank} 0.4) + ({Impact Rank} 0.6). This gives us a numeric score we can sort by. Combined with conditional formatting, tasks automatically turn red when priority score drops below threshold. The key is defining clear criteria for what makes something 'urgent' vs 'important' - we documented this in our team handbook.
Beyond the matrix, consider the RICE scoring method for prioritization. Create columns for: Reach (people impacted), Impact (how much), Confidence (how sure), and Effort (resources needed). Use a Formula column to calculate: (Reach Impact Confidence) / Effort. This gives you a data-driven prioritization score. We use this for feature requests and it removes a lot of subjective debate.