Pairwise Comparison
Pairwise comparison is a decision-making and prioritization technique used to systematically compare items in pairs to determine their relative importance, preference, or ranking. It involves evaluating each possible pair of items against a specific criterion, often using a scoring system like a matrix, to reduce bias and ensure consistency in judgments. This method is widely applied in fields such as software development, product management, and user experience design to prioritize features, requirements, or tasks.
Developers should learn pairwise comparison when they need to make objective decisions in scenarios with multiple competing options, such as prioritizing backlog items, selecting technologies, or evaluating design alternatives. It is particularly useful in agile and scrum methodologies for sprint planning, as it helps teams reach consensus and allocate resources efficiently by breaking down complex comparisons into simpler, binary choices. This technique reduces subjective bias and improves transparency in decision-making processes.