How to Make a Pros and Cons List That Helps You Decide

A pros and cons list helps you decide when you write each reason down and judge it. Start with the options, list the criteria that matter, give each criterion a weight from 1 to 3, score every option, and add the points. The option with the higher total fits your criteria better. The total does not decide for you, but it shows where your thinking is weak.

Why a plain list is not enough

A simple list puts "cheap" and "nice view" in the same column with the same value. That is rarely true. A plain list also hides the weight of each reason. Ten small pros can look stronger than two large cons, even when the large cons matter more.

A weighted list fixes this. Each reason gets a score, and the important reasons count more. You still write the same pros and cons. You also decide how much each one matters.

How to make a pros and cons list, step by step

Follow these six steps. Set a timer for 15 minutes if you want a limit.

1. Write the decision as one question. For example: "Which flat should I rent?"
2. List two to four options. More than four makes scoring slow.
3. List the criteria. Use four to six. Each one should be something you can judge.
4. Set a weight for each criterion. Use 1 for a small concern, 2 for a medium one and 3 for a must-have.
5. Score each option from 1 to 5 on each criterion. Multiply the score by the weight. Add the results for each option.
6. Check the result. Ask whether the winner feels right, and what the gap means.

Decide the weights before you score the options. If you change a weight after you see the scores, the list only confirms what you already wanted.

Worked example: two flats

Suppose you choose between Flat A and Flat B. You list four criteria and set the weights before you score anything. Commute and rent matter most, so they get weight 3. Space gets weight 2. Light gets weight 1.

Here is the arithmetic, checked twice:

• Flat A: 4 × 3 = 12, 2 × 3 = 6, 5 × 2 = 10, 3 × 1 = 3. Sum: 12 + 6 + 10 + 3 = 31.
• Flat B: 2 × 3 = 6, 4 × 3 = 12, 3 × 2 = 6, 5 × 1 = 5. Sum: 6 + 12 + 6 + 5 = 29.

The highest possible total is 45, because 5 × 9 = 45. Flat A scores 31 out of 45, about 69 percent. Flat B scores 29 out of 45, about 64 percent. Flat A wins by two points.

The gap is small, so test the result. Suppose light mattered as much as commute. Then the light weight would be 3. Flat A would score 37, and Flat B would score 39. Flat B would win. That does not mean the first scoring was wrong. It means the decision depends on whether light is a must-have for you. Decide that honestly before you choose.

Check the result

After you add the totals, ask four questions:

• Does the winner feel right, or does it feel forced? A forced result often means a criterion is missing.
• Is any criterion a deal breaker? A low score on a must-have can outweigh a high total.
• Which score is a guess? Mark it. Find one fact that would change it.
• What will you do next? Write one action, with a due date.

Keep the list short. A good pros and cons list fits on one screen.

Common mistakes

• Adding criteria after you see the scores. This favors the option you already like.
• Scoring with mood. Score each criterion on its own, not your overall feeling.
• Giving every criterion the same weight. Equal weights hide what matters most.
• Skipping the record. Without a note, you will forget why you chose.

Keeping the list with your decision

A list on paper works once. A decision note works later, when you want to review what you thought. Notivation lets you create a decision note with weighted pros and cons and a confidence value. The timeline shows how the decision changed, so you can compare your first view with the result.

Notivation keeps the note on your iPhone. The app has no account and no cloud sync, and your notes are not uploaded. Each decision can also spawn action items with due dates, so the next step does not get lost. Quick Decision cards let you act on pending choices with one tap.

For the full method of comparing choices, read decision making techniques that work. For a regular check on open choices and tasks, read how to do a weekly review. You can also see the other apps from denix.studio.

To start today, write one question, list two options and four criteria, and set the weights. Then open Notivation and save the note.

How to score a criterion fairly

Scoring is where bias enters. Use these rules:

• Score each option against the same fact, not your memory of the last visit. Check the price, the time or the distance.
• Use the full scale. If one option is clearly best on a criterion, give it 5. If one is clearly worst, give it 1.
• Write a short reason next to each score, such as "eight minutes walking" or "two bedrooms." A score without a reason is hard to check later.
• Score one criterion across all options before you move to the next. This keeps each comparison fair.

If you cannot find the fact, write "unknown" and find it before you decide. Do not guess a high score for the option you already like.

Frequently asked questions

How many pros and cons should I list?

Three to six for each option is enough. Long lists are hard to weight. If you have more, group similar points into one criterion.

Should every criterion have a weight?

Yes. An unweighted list treats every reason as equal. Use 1, 2 or 3, and keep the weights simple.

What if two options have the same total?

Look at the must-have criteria first. If they still tie, check which option has the lower risk or the cheaper next step. A tie often means the criteria are not yet clear.

Can I use a pros and cons list for a work decision?

Yes. Use the same steps for a job offer, a vendor choice or a project plan. Keep the criteria specific to the work, and record the reasons for later review.