About the Pros and Cons List Template
Use the pros and cons list template to outline all of the advantages and disadvantages of a specific decision. Consider what benefits, favorable outcomes, and wins you anticipate, as well as what costs, risks, or adverse consequences your decision has.
What is a pros and cons list?
Pros and cons list is a simple but powerful decision-making tool used to help understand both sides of an argument. Pros are listed as arguments in favor of making a particular decision or action. Cons are arguments against it.
Creating a list that details both sides of the argument makes it easier to visualize the potential impact of your decision. Making your pros and cons list objectively can help weigh each pro and con against the others. You can then present your decision with confidence, making a solid argument for why it's the right one.
The pros and cons template makes it easy to brainstorm, organize your thoughts, and see the positive and negative sides of a decision at a glance.
How to use the pros and cons list template
Miro's pros and cons template can help you and your team make informed decisions. Here are the steps to use the template:
Brainstorm: Set aside some time to brainstorm with your team around a decision or choice. During the brainstorming session, set a timer to keep the session efficient. Ask everyone to add sticky notes to the board and group them into either the "pros" or "cons" section of the template.
Cluster ideas: Once you have a list of pros and cons, cluster the ideas according to topics or themes. Identify the most common themes on your list and group them together.
Color-code: Organize the clusters by color-coding them to make it easier to identify each one.
Group discussion: Analyze which factors are more decisive than others and generate a group discussion to explore each factor in more detail. This process can help you make a more informed decision based on the pros and cons of each option.
By following these steps, you and your team can use the Miro pros and cons template to make effective decisions.
Why use a pros and cons list template?
They are a simple and convenient tool to help you weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a particular decision or action.
Pros and cons lists are useful for gathering different arguments and perspectives, which can clarify the matter and provide a broader understanding of the situation.
They allow you to systematically organize your thoughts and considerations, which can help you make a more informed decision.
This approach can help highlight knowledge gaps and areas where you might need further research.
By using a pros and cons template, you can reduce the risk of making a hasty or irrational decision, which can lead to negative consequences.
Pros and cons lists are often used in diverse areas of life, including business, personal life, and education, among others.
Pros and cons list examples
Here is a simple example of a pros and cons list in action. Let's say you need to decide whether or not to buy a new car.
Examples of Pros:
Examples of Cons:
In the above example, you see that both sides of the decision are considered. For instance, does the mileage compensate for the expensive insurance? Or does the safety outweigh the new car’s price? These comparisons from using a pros and cons list maker will help the person decide whether purchasing a new car is the right decision.
FAQs
First, write the decision that you have to make at the top of a two-column grid. Label one side "Pros" and the other "Cons." Then, list all of the possible positive consequences of the decision in the pros column, and all the negative effects in the cons column.
How do you create a pros and cons table? ›
To make a good pros and cons list, start by defining your decision clearly. Create a two-column list labeled "Pros" and "Cons", then brainstorm all potential benefits and drawbacks, considering both short and long-term outcomes. Prioritize each item based on its importance or potential impact.
How do you make a pros and cons list in docs? ›
Heck, you could even use another one of my favorite tools - a spreadsheet. If using a Doc, I add a table that is 2 columns wide, and start with maybe 5 rows (Insert > Table > 2x5). I'll put a header with a proposed solution above it, and as pro's or con's are raised I write them down.
How do you organize pros and cons? ›
Cluster ideas: Once you have a list of pros and cons, cluster the ideas according to topics or themes. Identify the most common themes on your list and group them together. Color-code: Organize the clusters by color-coding them to make it easier to identify each one.
What is the pros and cons checklist? ›
A pros and cons list is a decision-making method that organizes the benefits and consequences of a single choice into a chart, visualizing your options. Put simply, pros are good outcomes, and cons are bad. You then assign each pro and con a value and add them together, letting you quantify the best course of action.
What is a chart of pros and cons called? ›
T-Chart is a graphic organizer that examines two facets of a topic, like the pros and cons associated with it, its advantages and disadvantages, facts vs. opinions, etc. By listing the topics as headings for the 2 columns, and writing down several facets that are valid for both options, it's easy to make a comparison.
How to make a pros and cons list for two jobs? ›
First, make a note of the choice that prompted you to start creating the list in the first place. After that, you can create two columns, one for the pros, and another for the cons. After making a list of the benefits and drawbacks, you can assign a value to each and then weigh them both before making a choice.
How to make a pros and cons list for moving? ›
First, grab an electronic device or a pencil and paper to make a list with two columns. Jot down things that come to mind about moving, and sort the items into “Pros” and “Cons.” If you're unsure where something belongs — like starting a new job — make a third column while you think about it.
How do you format pros and cons? ›
When you are creating a pros and cons template using a grid format, you'll need to write the decision at the top with a grid with two columns below the decision. In the first column, write all the benefits (or pros) of the decision. In the second column, write all the negative aspects (or cons) that apply.
What is a pros and cons list called? ›
A decisional balance sheet or decision balance sheet is a tabular method for representing the pros and cons of different choices and for helping someone decide what to do in a certain circ*mstance.
the advantages and disadvantages of something, especially something that you are considering doing:
- We're just weighing the pros and cons of moving to a bigger house.
- We looked at the financial pros and cons of the deal.
- Doctors should take the time to talk over the pros and cons of any treatment with their patients.
Create Two columns or Tables
You can take a piece of paper and draw a line in the center to bisect two sides, or you can do this in MS PowerPoint. Choose Line from the Shapes option and draw a line. Label the left section as Pros and label the right section as cons.
What is a pros and cons comparison slide? ›
Pros and cons slides can show the differences between the advantages and disadvantages of a particular action or decision. It can help during a decision-making analysis or present the outcomes of previous decision analysis to an audience.
What is the full words of pros and cons? ›
What do pros and cons stand for? The phrase 'pros and cons' is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase pro et contra, 'for and against', where “pros” are for the plus points and “cons” are the negative ones. It has been in use in the abbreviated form since the 16th century, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
How do we write pros and cons? ›
The first step to writing a great pros and cons essay is knowing exactly what it is. It's pretty simple—in fact, it's exactly what it sounds like. A pros and cons essay is a type of argumentative essay that encourages you to look at both the pros (positives) and the cons (negatives) of a given topic.
What is a pros and cons example? ›
the advantages and disadvantages of something, especially something that you are considering doing: We're just weighing the pros and cons of moving to a bigger house. We looked at the financial pros and cons of the deal. Doctors should take the time to talk over the pros and cons of any treatment with their patients.
