Viper Training

How to Prioritise with Post-It’s

Author: Jim Hardcastle

Jim helps people plan and deliver effective communications. His background in the countryside sector provide him with a wealth of experience in rural marketing. Facilitation, fueled by coffee, with Post-Its at the ready, he’s here to help .

I’m going to share this with you because it’s so simple, yet so powerful that everyone should be using it. This technique is the most efficient way of creating a list of priorities for any issue.
I’ve used this with large groups to prioritise target audiences and even on my own to help me work through problems.
First of all you need your list. The list should be made up of individual Post-It’s. Don’t write your list straight onto the sheet as you can’t move your issues.

Ask the question.
Asking the correct question to structure your list around is crucial, along with the others understanding the question if you’re working with a group. You may need to ask the question several times, confirming that people understand it or change the question because of the feedback.
For example,
‘From our target audiences who is it most important to communicate with in the next 12 months?’
Feedback from the team may lead to you defining exactly what you mean by communicate, prompt them to define it so they apply their understanding. Repeat the question to the team again. Alter again if needed.

Prioritising.
Draw a plus (+) symbol at the top of the flipchart sheet and directly below it at the bottom of the sheet draw a minus (-) symbol. Explain the top is ‘most important’ the bottom ‘least important’, point out that this does not mean the issue is not important.
Take the first Post-It, place it in the middle, explain this is the benchmark. Take the next Post-It, ask the team if this is more or less important than the first. Place it accordingly. Repeat with the next Post-it, comparing it to both previously placed Post-It’s. Repeat again.
It is vital that the simple comparison between the Post-it you are holding and only one other Post-It takes place. You are helping yourself and the group prioritise by only having a yes or no decision to make. A series of small yes/no answers is easier than trying to prioritise en masse.
Don’t let the group say ‘they need to go side-by-side’. You are helping them create a list, one issue can’t have the same value as another. Force them into making a decision. 

Ta-da! Your list is created. How simple is that? 

- Posted on Friday 18 Nov 2011 at 09:29 by Jim Hardcastle

Tags: audience (33), facilitation (15), post-it's (7)