Prioritisation in IT Support
Overview
Two main tools are used for prioritisation in IT support: the ITIL Priority Matrix and the Eisenhower Matrix.
ITIL Priority Matrix
Urgency Levels
| Level | Description |
|---|
| High (H) | Damage from the incident increases rapidly. Tasks that cannot be fulfilled are very time-critical. Rapid action can prevent a Minor Incident from becoming a Major Incident. Multiple VIP users are affected. |
| Medium (M) | Damage increases over time. Tasks that cannot be fulfilled are only moderately time-critical. One VIP user is affected. |
| Low (N) | Damage does not increase over time. Tasks that cannot be fulfilled are not time-critical. |
Impact Levels
| Level | Description |
|---|
| High (H) | Large number of employees affected and/or unable to fulfil their tasks. Large number of customers affected or substantially impaired. Financial damage likely > 10,000 EUR. Reputation damage in large scope likely. Risk to life and limb. |
| Medium (M) | Moderate number of employees affected and/or unable to fulfil tasks as planned. Moderate number of customers affected or experiencing comfort restrictions. Financial damage likely 1,000–10,000 EUR. Moderate reputation damage likely. |
| Low (N) | Minimal number of employees affected; can still fulfil tasks but with additional effort. Minimal number of customers affected; only minor comfort restrictions. Financial damage likely < 1,000 EUR. Only minimal reputation damage expected. |
Priority Matrix
The Urgency x Impact matrix produces a priority level from 1 (most critical) to 5 (lowest):
| Impact H | Impact M | Impact N |
|---|
| Urgency H | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Urgency M | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Urgency N | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Priority Codes and SLA Response/Resolution Times
| Priority | Description | Response time | Resolution time |
|---|
| 1 | Kritisch (Critical) | Immediately | 1 hour |
| 2 | Hoch (High) | 10 minutes | 4 hours |
| 3 | Mittel (Medium) | 1 hour | 8 hours |
| 4 | Niedrig (Low) | 4 hours | 24 hours |
| 5 | Sehr niedrig (Very low) | 1 day | 1 week |
Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower Matrix is a time management method for distinguishing between important and urgent tasks. Named after US President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961). Also called: Four-Quadrant Method, Eisenhower Method, or Eisenhower Box.
Goal: Not to do things right, but to do the right things (effectiveness, not just efficiency).
Two questions per task:
- How important is the task?
- How urgent is the task?
The Four Quadrants
| Urgent | Not urgent |
|---|
| Important | A: Do (immediately, yourself) | B: Schedule (plan and set a deadline) |
| Not important | C: Delegate (or automate) | D: Discard (archive or delete) |
Principles
- Important tasks are those directly related to defined goals
- Urgent tasks tolerate no delay and should ideally be handled immediately
- Tasks that are important AND urgent: handle yourself, as fast as possible
- Tasks that are urgent but NOT important: delegate or automate if possible; if not, handle after A-tasks
- Tasks that are important but NOT urgent: plan and schedule; these are lower priority than A-tasks
- Tasks that are neither important nor urgent: do not process; archive or delete as appropriate
Comparison: ITIL Matrix vs. Eisenhower Matrix
| Criterion | ITIL Priority Matrix | Eisenhower Matrix |
|---|
| Purpose | Prioritising IT incidents/problems/changes | Prioritising personal or team tasks |
| Dimensions | Urgency x Impact (business-oriented) | Urgency x Importance (goal-oriented) |
| Scale | 5 priority levels with defined SLA times | 4 quadrants with actions |
| Best suited for | IT Service Desk, structured teams | Self-management, general task organisation |
| Practicality | Objective, standardised, scalable | Simpler, more flexible, less structured |