LS – Agreement & Certainty Matrix

What is meant by it?

Agreement and certainty matrix is a liberating structure that can help people to get rid of the mistakes they make in solving challenges with methods that are not even required for solving that particular challenge. Therefore, with the help of this organizational problem, people will be able to avoid these mistakes and solve the challenge quickly.

How is it done?

It is a liberating structure that can be carried out by inviting participants to distribute their current challenges into different categories including simple, complicated and complex. Chairs, post-it notes, markers and a page with a matrix will be provided to each participant. There should be an open wall with a matrix taped to it. The participants will individually have to place their challenges into the matrix and then discuss in pairs. They will then converse in a group and come up with a few points of differences and agreements and then post their challenges on the long wall. All the participants shall step back and observe the patterns and decide their next steps.

What is its purpose?

Agreement and certainty matrix is an agile way of reducing the amount of wasted effort you do in challenges and identifying where specific local experiments can help you in solving complex problems. It will also help in reducing your frustration when you are unable to complete a task.

What are its Tips and Traps?

Make sure to clear it to the group members what kind of activities and challenges will be included. Don’t make judgments about people and start working individually, then in pairs and finally have a table conversation.

Examples – Where can it be used?

Agreement and certainty matrix can be used in the following circumstances:

  • To help a group move towards the active phase.
  • To organize project management.
  • To select different methodologies at the beginning of a new project.

— Slimane Zouggari