If you've ever needed to sort items from "essential "to "nice to have," you already understand the basic idea of a tier list. It's a visual way to rank items by grouping them into different levels or tiers. It allows you to sort your tasks into different buckets, with the top bucket holding your highest priorities and the bottom containing items that can wait. 

Teams use tier lists to break down complex decisions into manageable chunks. Instead of getting stuck comparing every single item against each other, you group similar items together. This makes it much easier to see the big picture and decide where to focus your time and resources. 

What is a tier list template?

A tier list template gives you a ready-made structure for creating your rankings. Instead of starting from scratch every time, you have a framework that helps guide your thinking and keeps your team consistent in evaluating options. Using a tier list maker saves time and helps everyone understand each tier's meaning. 

A tier list template is helpful when working with a team. It ensures everyone uses the same ranking criteria, making the process more objective and straightforward to explain to stakeholders. Plus, a standard tier list template allows you to compare rankings over time or across projects. 

How to rank a tier list

Ready to start ranking? Here's what successful teams do to create effective tier lists:

• Start with the basics: Determine what "great" means for your situation. It could be about customer impact, urgency, or both. Write it down so your team is on the same page.

• Break down each option: Take a page from strategic planning and use tools like the SWOT analysis template to understand your ranking. Getting the complete picture of each item helps you place it in the correct tier.

• Stick to your rules: Instead of comparing individual items, check each one against your original criteria. If you're not careful, you can quickly end up with everything marked as "crucial."

• Get your team involved: Use project collaboration tools to learn what others think. Sometimes, the person working closest to a project sees things differently than everyone else, and that insight is essential for accurate rankings.

Types of tier list templates

Different situations call for different ranking approaches. The classic tier list uses letters, with S-tier at the top (originally from Japanese ranking systems where 'S' stands for 'superior'), followed by A, B, C, etc. This works well for competitive rankings or when you want to emphasize the exceptional nature of top-tier items.

For business contexts, you might prefer more descriptive labels, such as: 

• "Critical / High / Medium / Low" for priority-based project planning

• "Now / Next / Later / Never" for roadmap planning

• "Exceed / Meet / Below" for performance evaluations

• "Keep / Improve / Remove" for feature analysis

Tips for creating a tier list

Do you want your tier list to actually work? These tips will help you build something your team can put into action right away:

• Keep it simple and focused: Don't create more tiers than you need. Too many options slow down decisions and blur the lines between what's truly important and what's not.

• Document your thinking: Jot down notes about key ranking decisions. Explaining why something landed in the top tier can save hours of back-and-forth later.

• Use visual cues smartly: Color-code your tiers to make the list scannable at a glance. Red could indicate urgency, and green could mean an item or task is good to go—whatever makes sense for your team.

• Schedule regular updates: Priorities shift, so set aside time each quarter to review and adjust your rankings so they stay relevant.

Get the right perspectives: Check in with teammates who handle these items daily. Their hands-on experience often reveals priorities you might have missed.