Pairwise Matrix Guide

What is Pairwise Comparison?

Pairwise comparison is a decision-making technique where you compare items two at a time and pick a winner. After comparing every possible pair, you tally the wins. The item with the most wins is your top priority.

This method works because it breaks a complex ranking decision into a series of simple binary choices. Instead of asking "How should I rank these six things?", you answer "Is A more important than B?" repeatedly until a clear order emerges.

When to Use This

Pairwise comparison works best when:

• You have 3-10 items that need ranking. Fewer than 3 is trivial; more than 10 means many comparisons (45 for 10 items).
• The criteria are implicit. You know what matters, but it's hard to articulate. Gut decisions work here.
• You need a clear order. Not just "these are important" but "this one comes first."
• Stakes are moderate. For life-changing decisions, you might want weighted criteria analysis. For daily task prioritization, pairwise is fast and effective.

Comparison Count

The number of comparisons grows quickly with more items:

Items	Comparisons
3	3
4	6
5	10
6	15
8	28
10	45

For 6 items, 15 comparisons is manageable. For 10, it takes more time but remains practical. Beyond 10-12, consider grouping items first.

How to Use

1. Define Your Question

Start by entering what you're deciding. This context appears during each comparison to keep you focused.

Good questions are specific: "Which tasks should I do first today?" or "Which features should we build next quarter?" Vague questions lead to inconsistent choices.

2. Enter Your Items

Set the number of items, then name each one. Items are labeled A through Z automatically. Keep names short but distinctive.

3. Compare

You'll see two items side by side. Click the one that wins based on your question. The tool guides you through every unique pair.

Use keyboard shortcuts for speed: 1 or ← picks left, 2 or → picks right.

If you change your mind, click Undo or press Backspace.

4. Review Results

After all comparisons, you'll see items ranked by wins. The full matrix shows which item won each matchup.

Working with Results

Understanding the Matrix

The comparison matrix shows every matchup result. Each cell indicates which item won that pairing. The "Wins" column shows each item's total victories.

Ties are possible: two items might both beat the same opponents. The ranking shows them in order, but they're effectively equal priority.

Export Options

• Copy: Plain text list for pasting into notes or messages.
• Markdown: Formatted document with the results and matrix table.
• JSON: Full data for re-importing later.
• Print: Opens print dialog for PDF or paper.

Saving Matrices

Click Save to store the matrix locally. Saved matrices appear on the setup screen and persist between sessions. This is useful for:

• Revisiting decisions to see how you thought about them
• Comparing results from different time periods
• Sharing your methodology (export and send the JSON)

Tips

Be Consistent

Each comparison should apply the same criteria. If you're ranking tasks by urgency, don't suddenly consider effort level. If you find yourself wanting to weigh multiple factors, that's a sign to use a weighted criteria matrix instead.

Trust Your First Instinct

Pairwise comparison leverages intuition. When you hesitate too long on a matchup, you're overanalyzing. Pick quickly and move on. You can always undo.

Watch for Circular Preferences

Sometimes A beats B, B beats C, but C beats A. This is normal and reveals that your preferences aren't strictly linear. The final ranking by total wins still gives you a useful order, even with these cycles.

Start Smaller

If you have many items, first use pairwise comparison to eliminate the bottom half, then run it again on the finalists. Two rounds of 6 items (30 comparisons) is often faster and more accurate than one round of 12 (66 comparisons).

Privacy

This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your items, comparisons, and results are:

• Never sent to any server
• Stored only in your browser's localStorage (if you click Save)
• Deletable at any time (click the trash icon on saved matrices)

Exported files stay on your device. The JSON and Markdown exports include only what you entered.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key	Action
1 or ←	Pick left item
2 or →	Pick right item
Backspace	Undo last comparison
Escape	Cancel and return to setup

Use Cases

Beyond the obvious task prioritization, consider:

• Feature prioritization: Which features should we build first?
• Hiring decisions: Rank candidates after interviews (one criterion at a time).
• Event planning: Which venues, vendors, or activities matter most?
• Personal decisions: Which hobbies to pursue, which books to read next.
• Content planning: Which blog posts or videos to create first.
• Bug triage: Which issues to fix in the next sprint.