Stacey Matrix
Certainty × agreement → simple, complicated, complex, chaotic
- Best for
- choosing a project approach under uncertainty
- Time
- 30–45 min
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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Example
Choosing how to run a new product initiative by certainty and agreement
Simple — close to certainty & agreement
- Requirements clear, stakeholders aligned
- Run it like a plan: waterfall, best practice
Complicated — far on one axis
- Either how-to is unclear or stakeholders disagree
- Bring in experts or negotiate alignment first
Complex — far from both
- Low certainty and low agreement
- Iterate: agile, small experiments, short cycles
Chaos / anarchy — edge of the matrix
- Neither cause-and-effect nor agreement exists
- Stabilize first; act to create order before analyzing
Related frameworks
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