Bull’s-Eye Diagramming
Prioritize items in order of importance.
Bull's eye diagramming is a prioritization technique used in UX design to visually organize and prioritize features, ideas, or tasks. The method involves creating a target-like diagram with concentric circles, resembling a bull's eye. Each circle represents a different level of priority, with the innermost circle containing the highest-priority items and the outer circles containing lower-priority items.
This technique helps teams to clearly distinguish between essential features that must be implemented immediately and those that can be considered for later phases. By placing the most critical elements in the center, designers and stakeholders can focus their efforts on what will have the greatest impact on the user experience. The visual nature of the bull's eye diagram makes it easy to communicate priorities and ensure that everyone is aligned on what needs to be done first.
Bull's eye diagramming is particularly effective in collaborative settings, as it encourages discussion and consensus-building among team members. By collectively deciding on the placement of items within the diagram, teams can achieve a shared understanding of priorities and make more informed decisions about resource allocation and project planning. This method ultimately helps in managing scope, setting realistic goals, and ensuring that the most important aspects of a project are addressed first.
Step 1
Define Objectives: Clearly outline the goals of the prioritization exercise. Identify what you are prioritizing, whether it's features, tasks, ideas, or something else.
Step 2
Create the Diagram: Draw a series of concentric circles on a large sheet of paper, whiteboard, or digital tool. The innermost circle represents the highest priority, with each subsequent outer circle representing progressively lower priorities.
Step 3
Gather and Place Items: Collect all the items that need to be prioritized. As a team, discuss the importance and impact of each item and place them in the appropriate circles. Items with the highest priority go in the center, while lower-priority items are placed in the outer circles.
Step 4
Review and Finalize: Review the diagram to ensure it accurately reflects the team’s priorities. Make any necessary adjustments based on group feedback, then document the final diagram and share it with all relevant stakeholders.
David M Iwaniec at Reearch Gate: "Bulls-eye chart of village-level vision elements (village AF) and city-level comparison for the subsystems. Vision elements radiate outward with decreasing village-level priority. Vision elements not included in the village AF vision are located on the periphery of the chart. Node size indicates city-level priority. Larger nodes at the periphery (or smaller nodes in the center) indicate divergence between city and village priorities."
