5 matrix diagram types every project manager needs (with downloadable templates)

Matrix diagrams: A project management staple

A matrix diagram or matrix chart is a management and planning tool. They are widely used in project management to analyze and visually display the relationships between two or more different sets or groups of data.

These diagrams organize information into a grid or table format, where the rows and columns represent the different groups of items being compared (these items could be actions, data, functions, people, etc.). The intersecting cells show the existence, nature, and often the strength of the relationship between the item in the row and the item in the column.

Matrix diagrams are used in a variety of contexts, for example:

1. Eisenhower matrix: Organize tasks according to their urgency and importance.
2. Authority matrix: Map business processes, decisions, systems functions, etc. to the organizational roles with the necessary authority to approve, execute, or manage these.
3. RACI chart: Quickly find out how much an individual should be involved in a given project.
4. BCG matrix: Evaluate products based on market growth/ share to guide investment and focus resources.
5. Skills matrix: Understand a team’s skillset to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

In this blogpost we’ll look at the five matrix diagram types listed above in draw.io for Confluence and Jira, along with templates for you to download and use with your own teams.

1. Eisenhower matrix

The Eisenhower matrix is a prioritization tool that helps you quickly sort tasks and issues based on their urgency and importance. There are four quadrants: Do, Delegate, Decide (Schedule), or Delete. Adding tasks to each of these will help you determine the best course of action when you have a multitude of tasks with competing deadlines, dependencies, and complexity.

Tip: Add your Eisenhower matrix to a Jira epic for your next project. This will enable you and your team to quickly see which tickets should have the closest due dates and turnaround time, or which can be delegated to another team member if someone is at maximum capacity, for example.

1. Open Confluence.
2. Open draw.io (blank diagram).
3. Drag & drop your XML file into your blank drawing area.
4. Use it as a custom template if you like.

2. Authority matrix

An authority matrix or authority table is used to map business functions, processes, or decisions to the organizational roles that hold the power to act on them. It clarifies decision-making and ensures a clear chain of command by assigning specific levels of authority to each task or element. This tool is often used to establish internal controls, system access privileges, or governance rules.

Tip: You can create your own custom shape library with bespoke shapes in draw.io to signify the relationships for each position/ task.

1. Open Confluence.
2. Open draw.io (blank diagram).
3. Drag & drop your XML file into your blank drawing area.
4. Use it as a custom template if you like.

3. RACI chart

A RACI chart, RACI matrix, or responsibility assignment matrix, is a specific type of authority matrix used for responsibility planning. This chart enables you to clearly define the participation level of every project role for specific deliverables or activities. RACI charts highlight who should be: Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed on a given project or task.

Tip: Keep your RACI chart in your Confluence documentation, for teammates to quickly access whenever they need to find out who to go to with questions on a particular project. (I’ll let you in on a secret: We at draw.io have our RACI charts nested as a child page under our Marketing Operations parent page!)

1. Open Confluence.
2. Open draw.io (blank diagram).
3. Drag & drop your XML file into your blank drawing area.
4. Use it as a custom template if you like.

4. Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix

Great for project managers and PMMS alike, a BCG matrix (or growth-share matrix) is a strategic portfolio planning tool used to evaluate a company’s product lines, business units, or project investments based on two factors: market growth rate and relative market share. This helps senior management and PMOs prioritize investment by classifying items as Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, or Dogs.

Tip: Add custom links to your BCG chart that take users from the specific quadrant to the relevant Confluence documentation on a particular Star, Cash Cow, etc.

1. Open Confluence.
2. Open draw.io (blank diagram).
3. Drag & drop your XML file into your blank drawing area.
4. Use it as a custom template if you like.

5. Skills matrix

Page 1 of the multipage diagram

Page 2 of the multipage diagram

Used to identify resource capability, a skills matrix visualizes and tracks the proficiency level of team members across various skills to identify skill gaps, inform training needs, and ensure optimal resource assignment.

Tip: Build a multipage diagram in draw.io. Include the skills matrix on the first page, and a proficiency rating scale on the second page. You can then easily switch between the two pages in the Confluence page preview mode.

1. Open Confluence.
2. Open draw.io (blank diagram).
3. Drag & drop your XML file into your blank drawing area.
4. Use it as a custom template if you like.

The importance of building your matrix diagrams in Confluence or Jira

Confluence and Jira are every project manager’s dream: Confluence allows you to create key documentation and own and maintain a living knowledge base, while Jira is your classic Kanban board to assign tasks to teammates and track every task’s status as To Do, In Progress, and Done. (Of course, you can also add your own custom statuses in between the default ones!)

• Your matrix diagrams are right where you need them: Stored securely and centrally in your single source of truth for all project stakeholders.
• Collaborate with others in real time: Work together on both the diagram build and the surrounding documentation on the relevant Confluence page or Jira ticket where they are embedded.
• Turn static analysis into dynamic action: Build interactive diagrams with custom links to direct users to relevant Jira epics, dashboards, or team profiles.

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