Paired Comparison Tool

A very effective tool I recently learned and found of good use is Paired Comparison. This is one of the tools found in the Innovation in a Box training program created by Rick Boersma.  What I really like about it is the fact that it can be used to help you structure and make decisions no matter how big or small the choice may be. It is a great way of providing a framework and weighing up the relative importance of different options.

Here’s how it works.  You list all your options.  Then compare every option with each of the others. Once you decide which of the two options is more important, you score the difference in importance. Once you do this for all pairs, you will finish off with an ordered list of the options that are best suited to your needs. I would have found this tool especially useful a couple of months ago when I was making my decision for where I should work for my summer co-op term. Although the choice seems obvious now, I was debating between my position at Juice Inc. and a much larger, more corporate company. I knew the things I hoped to get out of my work experience as well as what each, very different company had to offer. However, it was hard to make this connection.  If I had used Paired Comparison, it would have been very useful to help me focus on each aspect in a structured way and more easily establish which job would be the best fit for me. This tool is helpful not only with personal decisions, but also aid in your work life. The Paired Comparison tool allows you to take on a structured approach and come to your solution in a timely, easy manner.    

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