Paired Comparison
A prioritization method where items (such as user stories or risks) are evaluated two at a time, choosing the more important or impactful of each pair. By cycling through all pairs, the team produces an ordered list of user stories or, when applied to risk analysis, a ranking by magnitude so higher-impact risks are addressed first.
Key Points
- Compares items head-to-head and selects a winner for each pair to build a full ranking.
- Works well when absolute scoring is hard but relative importance is clear.
- Supports backlog prioritization and risk ranking by impact or magnitude.
- Requires consistent criteria (value, urgency, cost, risk exposure) to guide choices.
Example
A product owner has 10 user stories. The team compares Story A vs. B and picks the more valuable, then A vs. C, and so on, repeating for every pair of stories. The resulting tally yields a ranked backlog. In a risk workshop, the team compares Risk R1 vs. R2, R1 vs. R3, etc., selecting the higher-exposure risk each time to produce a risk-priority list for early mitigation.
PMP Example Question
Which technique creates a priority order by judging items two at a time and selecting the more important in each comparison?
- MoSCoW prioritization
- Paired Comparison
- Planning Poker
- Kano analysis
Correct Answer: B — Paired Comparison
Explanation: Paired Comparison ranks items through head-to-head comparisons, producing an ordered list of user stories or risks.
