What is an impact-effort matrix?
An impact-effort matrix plots tasks on two axes: how much they deliver (impact) and how much they cost (effort). That way you see at a glance where your time is best spent.
The four quadrants
- Quick wins — high impact, low effort. Do these first.
- Big projects — high impact, high effort. Plan them deliberately.
- Fill-ins — low impact, low effort. Do them when there's time left.
- Thankless work — low impact, high effort. Avoid or drop.
How to use it
Add tasks and drag the impact and effort sliders. The dot appears in the right quadrant immediately.