Mind Tools - PMI - Plus/Minus/Interesting

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PMI - Plus/Minus/Interesting

What is PMI?

PMI stands for 'Plus/Minus/Interesting'. It is a valuable development (by Edward de Bono) of the 'pros and cons' technique used for centuries.

PMI is a basic decision making tool. When you are facing a difficult decision, simply draw up a table headed up 'Plus', 'Minus', and 'Interesting'. In the column underneath the 'Plus' heading, write down all the positive points of taking the action. Underneath the 'Minus' heading write down all the negative effects. In the 'Interesting' column write down the extended implications of taking the action, whether positive or negative.

Scoring your PMI table

You may be able to make a decision just from the table you have drawn up. Alternatively, consider each of the points you have written down and assign a positive or negative score to each appropriately. The scores you assign can be entirely subjective. Once you have done this, add up the score. A strongly positive score indicated that an action should be taken, a strongly negative score that it should be avoided.

An example is shown below:

Should I move to the big city?

Plus                    Minus                     Interesting
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More going on           Have to sell my           Easier to find a new job? (+1)
(+5)                    house (-6)              
Easier to see           More pollution (-3)       Meet more people? (+2) 
my friends
(+5)                    Less space (-3)           More difficult to get work done?(-4)
                        No countryside (-2)
Easier to get                                     More difficult to get to work? (-4)
places (+3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13                      -14                       -5                                        = - 6  
          Total = -6 - I'm happier living just outside the city.

For further information

Edward de Bono, Serious Creativity, HarperBusiness, New York, US, 1992.

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