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Pugh matrix template
A Pugh matrix chooses among competing concepts by comparing each one with a single reference concept, the datum, one criterion at a time. Every cell gets a plus (better than the datum), an S (the same) or a minus (worse). It is named for Stuart Pugh and is also called controlled convergence, because the team uses it to improve the concepts as well as to narrow them. This template has the matrix for up to 12 criteria and 8 concepts, a second sheet for the next round with a new datum, and a worked example of choosing how to feed parts into a press. The Excel version counts pluses, sames and minuses, shows the net, flags a minus on a must-have criterion, adds an optional weighted net and proposes the datum for round 2.
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Decision, team, date and round fields, a table of 12 criteria with weight and must-have columns, a datum column and six concept columns, rows for pluses, sames, minuses, net, weighted net and must-have minuses, and boxes for the decision on each concept.Datum and up to 8 concepts12 criteria with weights and must-haves+, S and - marksNet and weighted netMust-have flagRound 2 sheetDecision for each conceptWorked example
When to use it
When to use a Pugh matrix
- When a team has a handful of competing ways to solve one problem, such as how to feed, clamp, convey or inspect a part, and has to narrow them before paying for detail.
- When there is a current solution to measure against. Today's way is the natural datum, and the question becomes whether each alternative beats it.
- Early, before the facts are complete. The marks are relative and coarse, so the matrix works on sketches and descriptions, where a 1 to 10 score would be invented precision.
- When the choice has to be defended later. The sheet records the criteria, which concept was better on what, and why a concept was dropped.
- Not for ranking a long backlog of improvement ideas by size of benefit. The prioritization matrix does that.
How to fill it in
- 1
Name the decision and list the concepts
Write the decision in one line. List 5 to 10 front-runners and describe or sketch each to the same level of detail, so a rough idea is not marked against a detailed one. The sheet holds 8 concepts.
- 2
Write the criteria and mark the must-haves
About ten criteria, driven by what the customer and the plant need, plus internal needs such as cost, ease of making and risk. Put Y beside any criterion where a concept that is worse than the datum should not go ahead as it is. Weights from 1 to 5 are optional; set them before anyone marks a concept.
- 3
Pick the datum
Any concept can be the datum, but an existing one helps, so most teams use today's solution. The datum is never marked. It is the yardstick.
- 4
Mark every concept against the datum
For each criterion enter + if the concept is better, S if it is the same or you are not sure, and - if it is worse. Take one criterion at a time across all the concepts. Argue about the marks, not about the totals.
- 5
Read the totals, then study the minuses
The sheet shows pluses, sames, minuses, the net and the weighted net, and flags a minus on a must-have. For each minus ask whether the team can accept it or cure it by borrowing from another concept. Mark each concept carry forward, combine and improve, or drop.
- 6
Run round 2 with a stronger datum
Take a strong concept as the new datum. The Round 2 sheet copies the criteria over; list the improved or combined concepts and mark them again, with more detail in the criteria. Stop when one concept stands out and the team agrees. If none does, the criteria may be vague or the concepts too alike. If nothing beats the datum, the datum may be the best choice.
How a Pugh matrix works
Mark, study, improve, then take a stronger datum
The matrix is not run once. After each round the team studies where each concept is weak, improves or combines the concepts, and compares them again with a stronger concept as the new datum.
- 1MarkEach concept against the datum, criterion by criterion: +, S or -.
- 2StudyCount the marks, then read every minus. Can it be accepted or cured?
- 3ImproveCombine concepts and fix minuses. Drop concepts with nothing going for them.
- 4New datumTake a stronger concept as the datum and add detail to the criteria.
Go round again
Reading the sheet
What the Excel version reports for each concept
The classic Pugh matrix is a count of marks. The weights, the must-have flag, the reading and the next-datum rule are this template's own additions, and the page says so wherever they appear.
| Result | How it is worked out | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| Net | Pluses minus minuses | The classic count. Tied concepts get the same rank and the sheet says so: do not choose on a tie. |
| Weighted net | Each criterion's weight (1 to 5, blank counts as 1) times +1, 0 or -1, added | Optional second view. If it names a different leader from the net, talk about the weights first. |
| Minuses on must-haves | Count of minuses on criteria marked Y | The reading says Misses a must-have. The team decides whether to fix the concept or drop it. |
| Reading | Ahead of, behind or level with the datum on weighted net, with a note when the plain count disagrees | A description of the numbers, not a verdict. |
| Datum for the next round | Highest weighted net among concepts with no must-have missed, then highest net, then list order | A proposal. If no concept is above 0 the sheet says the datum may be best. |
Net
- How it is worked out
- Pluses minus minuses
- What to do with it
- The classic count. Tied concepts get the same rank and the sheet says so: do not choose on a tie.
Weighted net
- How it is worked out
- Each criterion's weight (1 to 5, blank counts as 1) times +1, 0 or -1, added
- What to do with it
- Optional second view. If it names a different leader from the net, talk about the weights first.
Minuses on must-haves
- How it is worked out
- Count of minuses on criteria marked Y
- What to do with it
- The reading says Misses a must-have. The team decides whether to fix the concept or drop it.
Reading
- How it is worked out
- Ahead of, behind or level with the datum on weighted net, with a note when the plain count disagrees
- What to do with it
- A description of the numbers, not a verdict.
Datum for the next round
- How it is worked out
- Highest weighted net among concepts with no must-have missed, then highest net, then list order
- What to do with it
- A proposal. If no concept is above 0 the sheet says the datum may be best.
A filled-in example
Illustrative, not a benchmarkAn example: choose how to feed parts into a stamping press, against today's manual feed (illustrative marks, not measurements).
Round 1: four ways to feed the press, each marked against manual feed
| Criterion (weight) | Gravity chute | Vibratory bowl | Robot pick and place | Magazine and pusher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator hands stay out of the die area (5, must-have) | + | + | + | + |
| Reaches the target parts per minute (4, must-have) | - | + | + | + |
| Changeover between part numbers (4) | - | - | + | - |
| Purchase and installation cost (3) | + | - | - | S |
| Floor space (2) | S | - | - | S |
| Maintenance effort (3) | + | - | - | S |
| Jam and misfeed risk (4) | - | - | + | S |
| Part orientation reliability (4) | - | + | + | - |
| Press downtime to install (3) | S | - | - | S |
| Operator skill and training needed (2) | S | S | - | S |
| Pluses and minuses | 3 and 4 | 3 and 6 | 5 and 5 | 2 and 2 |
| Net | -1 | -3 | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted net | -5 | -6 | +8 | +1 |
| Must-haves missed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The robot and the magazine tie at a net of 0. Weighted net is +8 for the robot and +1 for the magazine. The chute misses the target rate, a must-have, and is flagged.
- Ten criteria, two of them must-haves: operator hands stay out of the die area (weight 5) and reaches the target parts per minute (weight 4). Four concepts: a gravity chute, a vibratory bowl feeder, a robot pick and place and a magazine with a pneumatic pusher.
- Round 1 against manual feed. The chute has 3 pluses, 3 sames and 4 minuses (net -1, weighted -5) and is flagged because it misses the rate. The bowl feeder has 3 pluses and 6 minuses (net -3, weighted -6). The robot has 5 pluses and 5 minuses (net 0, weighted +8). The magazine has 2 pluses, 6 sames and 2 minuses (net 0, weighted +1).
- The robot and the magazine tie on the plain count. The weights separate them, and the robot becomes the datum for round 2.
- The team adds a changeover cartridge and an orientation guide to the magazine, and shrinks the robot to a compact cell. Round 2 against the robot: the plain magazine nets +2 (weighted +1), the improved magazine has 5 pluses and 1 minus (net +4, weighted +9), the compact cell nets +1 (weighted +3).
The improved magazine leads round 2 and misses no must-have. Its S marks on changeover, orientation and the target rate are guesses until a mock-up runs, so the next step is a trial, not an order. To recompute any figure: net is pluses minus minuses, and weighted net is the sum of each weight times +1, 0 or -1.
Common mistakes
Choosing on the total
The Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing describes the method as non-numeric. Two concepts can tie on the count with very different minuses, as the robot and the magazine do in the example. Study each minus: can it be accepted, or cured by borrowing from another concept?
Comparing concepts at different levels of detail
A sketch marked against a finished product gets scored on how much is known, not on merit. Bring every concept to the same level of detail before marking.
Letting a weak datum set the result
Every mark is relative to the datum. A datum that is poor on one criterion makes every concept look good on it. Run round 2 with a different, stronger datum and see whether the leader holds.
Marking S when you do not know
An S on a concept nobody has built is a guess that looks like agreement. List the S marks that decide the choice and test them with a mock-up or a trial before committing money.
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Pugh matrix template: common questions
A table that compares several concepts with one reference concept, the datum, on a list of criteria. Each cell is + (better than the datum), S (the same) or - (worse). It is named for Stuart Pugh and is also called controlled convergence, because the team improves and narrows the concepts over repeated rounds.
Any concept can be the datum. The Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing says it can help if it is a product that already exists, so most teams use today's solution. Then repeat with a strong concept as the new datum: a 2009 simulation study by Frey and others found that a strong datum helps the set of concepts converge.
The classic method counts pluses and minuses and does not weight them. Weights here are an optional extra, whole numbers from 1 to 5 set before anyone marks a concept. The sheet shows the net and the weighted net side by side; if they name different leaders, talk about the weights before choosing.
The prioritization matrix scores each idea from 1 to 5 on weighted criteria and ranks a backlog. A Pugh matrix compares a few competing concepts with one datum as better, same or worse, then repeats with a new datum. Use the first to decide which problems to work on, and the second to choose between ways to solve one of them.
Then the datum may be the best choice, as the University of Illinois course slides on concept selection note. Before you accept that, check the criteria for vagueness and ask whether the minuses can be cured by improving or combining concepts. The Excel version says so when no concept has a weighted net above 0.
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- Visual management audit checklist29 checks of whether anyone can tell normal from abnormal at a glance, scored by group, with a trend and actions.
- Quality alert formA quality alert to post at the line, a sign-off sheet for every shift, and a log of open, expired and closed alerts.
- TQM self-assessment templateThe eight TQM principles in 24 statements you can check on the floor, scored 0 to 4 by several people, with the spread, the top 3 gaps and an action plan.
- Employee recognition program templateDesign a recognition program on one page, then run it: points per action, prizes, budget, a points ledger, a monthly leaderboard and a fairness check by team and shift.
- Lean transformation roadmapA plant-wide lean program on one sheet: six phases with exit criteria, six workstreams by quarter over 24 months, the model line, metrics with baseline and target, cadence and risks.
- Obeya room plannerPlan the walls, owners, cadence, agenda and rules of an obeya, then run the weekly review of KPIs, problems, actions and milestones.
- Continuous improvement software evaluation scorecardCompare CI software vendors: a must-have gate, eight weighted criteria scored 1 to 5, points out of 100 and a rank, with a demo script and reference questions.
- Lean principles assessment templateThe five lean principles as 25 things you can see on one value stream, answered yes, partly or no on a walk, with a score per principle, the next step and a trend over walks.
- Employee engagement survey templateA short anonymous pulse survey for shop floor staff: 14 statements in six drivers, two open questions, results by driver and team, and the actions.
- Hansei reflection sheet (lessons learned)A written look back at one finished project, event or launch: goals against results in numbers, causes rather than blame, lessons to keep or change, and where else they apply.
- Safety cross calendarA month drawn as the green cross, colored each day by the most serious safety event, with totals and days since the last injury.
- Daily kaizen routine boardA team's 10 to 15 minute daily routine at the board: one problem from each person, small fixes with one owner, counted every week.
- Quality circle meeting recordA circle's charter, a one-page record for each meeting and a problem register that follows every problem from selected to closed or escalated.
- Weekly maintenance schedule templateNext week's maintenance jobs, scheduled only when ready, loaded against each craft's hours by day, with schedule compliance and break-ins at week end.
- Operational excellence assessment templateThe ten principles of operational excellence as 30 behaviors and practices you can see, scored 1 to 5 by several people, with the spread, the three lowest principles and an action plan.
- Scrum meeting agenda templateTimed agendas for the five scrum meetings, a sprint planning sheet, a retrospective sheet, and an Excel sprint backlog with a burndown.
- Toyota Production System (TPS) house templateThe TPS house for one plant or value stream: roof, two pillars and foundation, with what you do today, the evidence, a status and the next step for each element.
- EPEI and batch size calculatorHow often each part can come round on a shared machine (EPEI) and how big each batch must be, from demand, cycle times and changeovers, now and after SMED.
- Process capacity sheet templateEach machine in a part's routing with manual, auto and tool change time, its capacity per shift, and the step that limits the cell against demand.
- Jidoka worksheet (stop at abnormality)For one line or cell, every abnormality that should stop the work: how it is detected, how the work stops, who is called, the immediate fix and the root cause step, plus a log of real stops.
- Team charter templateA one-page charter for a standing team: purpose, scope, roles, the KPIs it owns, which decisions it makes itself, norms and cadence.
- Chaku-chaku line plannerPlan a load-load cell: time each machine, load and walk, check that every machine is ready when the operator comes back, compare the cell cycle with takt and size the crew.
- Standard operating procedure (SOP) templateA full SOP in the hierarchical step format, from purpose and scope to the steps, records, revision history and approvals, with review checks and an SOP register.
- Safety pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the incident pyramid to safety standards on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Quality control pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the QA matrix to the QM matrix on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Autonomous maintenance 90-day model area planAM steps 0 to 3 on one model machine in 13 weeks, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves for months 4 to 12.
- Professional maintenance (PM) 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from breakdown analysis to a running PM calendar on one model machine, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Environment and energy pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from waste and energy maps to area standards on one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Focused improvement 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the loss Pareto to standardized fixes on one model line, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Logistics and customer service pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the current-state map to pull on one model value stream, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- People development pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the skills matrix to trained cover on critical tasks in one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Cost deployment pillar 90-day model area planThirteen weeks from the loss map to costed, ranked projects in one model area, a KPI board, the day-90 gate and expansion waves.
- Moving from Excel to one system checklistA 34-point checklist and a file inventory for moving trackers from spreadsheets to one system: keep, move, connect or retire, clean, pilot, run both, retire.
- Cost per unit worksheet (manufacturing cost per good unit)One product's cost per good unit by materials, labor, machine and overhead, the gap to target, and which cost lever is worth most a year.
- Manufacturing KPI dashboard templateWeekly plant numbers in, 14 KPIs out: OEE and its parts, first pass yield, scrap, on-time delivery, recordable rate, cost and absence, each against a target.
- Error-proofing verification log (daily master-sample check)Each poka-yoke device proved every day or week with a known-bad sample, with missed checks counted and the hours and parts at risk worked out when one fails.
- Training matrix template with expiry datesPeople by required trainings with expiry dates, OK, due, expired and missing flags, compliance by person and area, cover per training and a renewal list.
- Downtime reason codes template26 starter codes mapped to the six big losses, a log with drop-downs, a Pareto by code and by loss, and a code card for the line.
- Defect catalogue template with boundary samplesEvery defect with a definition, a class and the reason for it, measured accept and reject limits by zone, boundary samples, a defect log with DPU and Pareto, and an inspector agreement check.
- Kaizen event preparation checklistEverything that has to be ready before a kaizen event and done after it: 44 items with owners and due dates from 6 weeks before day 1 to 30 days after, five go or no-go gates and a day-by-day agenda.
- Attribute control chart template (p, np, c and u charts)p, np, c and u charts in one workbook: a chart selector, a sample size check, limits for each subgroup, signal flags and four worked examples.
- Critical spare parts list and stocking levelsAssets ranked by consequence, each part classed and given a stocking policy, and min and max worked out from usage and lead time, with the downtime each stock-out would cost.
- Tier 2 meeting agenda and escalation sheetA 15-minute tier 2 agenda in ten timed blocks, fixed roles and rules, escalation triggers with time limits, and a log that ages every escalation and sends the answer back down.
- HACCP plan template: hazard analysis and CCP worksheetThe Codex 12 steps in one workbook: team and product, process steps checked on site, hazard analysis with the CCP decision tree, the CCP table with completeness checks, an allergen matrix and a verification schedule.
- Forklift operator training and evaluation recordPer-operator training and evaluation record, a register with three-year due dates and refresher triggers, and a weighted practical evaluation scoresheet.
- REBA worksheet (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)Score up to six postures with REBA: body-part drop-downs, Tables A, B and C as lookups, final score and action level, and a before and after comparison.
- Mock recall template: traceability exercise worksheetTrace a finished lot back to every input lot and forward to every first customer, reconcile the quantities against a tolerance and time it against your target.
- ISO 9001 internal audit checklist (production area)46 audit questions for the production floor in 11 processes, each with its ISO 9001:2015 clause, what evidence to look for and the sample to take, plus five defined grades, a findings log, a finding report and a summary by clause.
- ISO 45001 internal audit checklist44 audit questions for the plant floor in 16 safety topics, each with its ISO 45001:2018 clause, the evidence to look for and the sample to take, plus 12 worker interview prompts, a findings log and a summary by clause.
- Plan for every part (PFEP) templateOne row per part: supplier, pack, container, usage, lead time and locations, with ABC classes, market and line kanban counts and a lineside space check.
- Food plant GMP inspection checklist (21 CFR 117 subpart B)55 checks in the order of 21 CFR 117 subpart B, each citing its paragraph and saying what to look at, with a grade, finding, owner and due date; results by section and grade, a walk route and a bakery example.
- Master sanitation schedule with pre-op verificationA master list of cleaning tasks by area and equipment with frequency, chemical, lockout, who and next due date, a weekly on-time count, and the pre-operational verification log with a release step.
- Changeover matrix templateA from-to matrix of changeover minutes with the clean each transition needs (allergen, colour, format), and a weekly planner that totals the order and suggests a shorter one.
- Overhead crane inspection checklist: frequent and periodic34 crane checks tied to OSHA 1910.179: an operator's pre-shift card, frequent and periodic inspections with signed records, a deficiency and tag-out log, and a register of next due dates.
- Measurement uncertainty budget templateA GUM uncertainty budget: Type A and B rows, divisors by distribution, sensitivity coefficients, uc, νeff, k from the t-table, U, TUR and a guard band check.
- Maintenance job plan templateOne job planned on one sheet: steps and craft hours, parts checked against stock, tools, lockout and permits, documents, a ready check for the schedule, and technician feedback.
- Reorder point and safety stock sheet (many parts)Safety stock, reorder point, order quantity and an order list for up to 500 parts, worked out from each part's own demand and lead time history.
- OSHA compliance calendar (general industry)37 recurring federal OSHA duties with the paragraph, interval, owner, next due date and an overdue flag, plus a 12-month view and counts by owner.
- TRIR and DART rate trackerMonthly hours, OSHA 300 case counts and near misses in; rolling 12-month TRIR and DART rate, a case budget against your target and a trend chart out.
- Energy use and EnPI trackerMonthly electricity, gas and fuel in one unit, a 12-month regression baseline, expected against actual energy for each month, an EnPI ratio, the running saving and the tests that say whether the model can be trusted.
- FIFO lane sizing sheetThe maximum for a FIFO lane from the stop it must cover, in whole containers, with length, refill and wait checks for up to eight lanes.
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A shift handover sheet, a red tag log, a changeover checklist for one machine: if your team uses it on the floor, ask.