Often in our lives, we come across situations where we need to make some crucial decisions and sometimes it gets quite challenging and tough to consider and make decisions. In such a situation a weighted decision matrix enables you to bring a lot of clarity into the process especially if there are several choices and you are finding it tough to decide between them.
The matrix helps you to include all the important parameters and factors that are involved in taking a decision and gives you the big picture easily and quickly. The weighted decision matrix is basically a very simple table that lists the options available to you, the factors on which you can decide and the weights for each factor. The principal aim is to evaluate a score for each option that depends on the factors’ scores. The final score for each option makes it manifestly clear to you about where you should be going.
The following are the steps involved in creating a decision matrix:
1. Draft the decision that you are required to make.
2. Input the options that are available to you.
3. Identify the factors that you wish to consider for the decision-making process and assign scores (points) to the options for every factor.
4. Add weights to each factor after careful thought since all factors may not be equally important.
5. Now, calculate the final scores for every option by multiplying each score by the weight of the factor and then evaluate the total score for every option.
6. The winner can be then decided very easily. It must be the option with the highest score.
In this article we will be exploring 3 Free Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator Websites that will help you to fill-up the options, factors, weights and more online and help you to take correct decisions without spending a lot of time and effort. So, let’s get started.
1. Ruminate.io
This is a simple and free Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator website that helps you to make informed and better decision by structuring your thought process through the use of a decision matrix. Click on the link that we have provided below to navigate to Ruminate.io and then click on the ‘Get Started’ button.
Assign a Title and Brief Description for the decision to give it some context and click the save button. Next click on the ‘plus’ sign, choose ‘Add Option’ and add all the options that are available to you to make the decision one by one. The next step will be to add the Factors (Criteria) that you wish to consider for each option along with the respective Weight. For this, click on the ‘plus’ sign, choose ‘Add Criteria’ and go ahead and add all the criteria that you can think of. For each criterion that you are adding, you must specify the its weight. Now is the time to assign Scores to every Factor under every Option. Click on each box in the matrix and use the respective slider to increase / decrease the scores. Observe that as you start assigning the scores, the weighted scores (factor score x weight) are calculated in real time and the total score for every option is automatically updated.
All that you need to do now is watch the final score. Clearly, the winning option will be the one whose total score is the highest. If you need to share the final Matrix with anyone, you can click on the ‘Share’ button and copy the weblink (URL). You can also copy the Embed code or Markdown table and use it wherever you desire.
Click here to navigate to Ruminate.io Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator.
2. WeightedDecision.com
This is yet another free Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator that you can use to make careful and informed decisions for your personal or professional life. Just click on the link below to start using this matrix.
At the outset, type your question or the decision that you need to make at the top of the matrix. Next, input all the Options that are available to you in the respective boxes in the horizontal row. Now, type all the factors that you plan to consider for this process in the corresponding boxes in the Decision-Making factors column. Finally, assign the Weights and input the Scores for every Factor under every Option. The Final scores will be displayed in real time in the top-most row of the matrix. Clearly, the Option with the highest score will be winner for you.
Click here to navigate to the Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator from WeightedDecision.com
3. Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator from ilovefreesw
This is one of the simplest ones that I have come across in my exploration. Just click on the link below to start using this tool.
At the outset, specify the number of Options and Criteria (Factors) that you are considering in the decision making process and click on ‘Generate Matrix’. Type the names of the Options in the top-most row and Input the Criteria in the left-most column of the matrix. Next, specify the Weights for each Factor and as earlier, assign the Scores for every Option, for every Factor. Finally, click on the ‘Calculate’ button and the Total Scores for every Option will be displayed on the screen helping you to take a quick and informed decision.
Click here to navigate to ilovefreesw Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator. To access its source code, click here.
4. Simplified Decision Matrix (Google Sheets template)
This is a Google Sheets template that you can use as a very good Decision Matrix Calculator. Click on the link at the end of the paragraph below to use this template.
The Priorities (Criteria) are arranged column wise while the Choices (Options) have been arranged in rows. Edit them as per your requirements.
Next, specify the Weight for every Priority based on its considered. Now, go ahead and specify the Scores for every Priority under each and every Choice and you will visualize the total scores are automatically updated in real time at the end of each row. The Choice with the highest score is the clear winner and you can take your decision based on it.
Click here to use this Google Sheets Template. You must click on the File | Make to copy this template to your Google account and edit and make changes.
5. Online Weighted Decision Matrix
This is the last Weighted Decision Matrix Calculator in our list. It is very lightweight and easy to use. Click on the link below to use this tool.
Click on the ‘plus’ sign beside ‘Options’ and ‘Criteria’ to add as many rows and columns as you require. Click on the cells to directly modify the names of the Options and Criteria. Next, specify the Weights for every Factor (based on its importance) and then assign the Scores for every Criteria for every single Option. The Total Score for every Option will be calculated and shown in real time. Clearly, the Option with the highest score will be the winner for you to take a decision.
Click here to head towards this tool.
Closing Comments:
You can go ahead and use any of the above Online Weighted Decision Calculators, specify the Options, Factors, Weights & Scores and figure out which Option is faring the highest so that you can take quick and correct decisions.
