Matrix Configuration
Complete guide to configuring calibration matrices for talent visualization and decision-making.
Overview
Step 3 of the campaign wizard lets you define one or more calibration matrices. Matrices are 2D grids that visualize where employees fall based on two evaluation criteria.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MATRIX CONFIGURATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Matrices │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ★ Performance vs Potential (9-box) [Edit][×] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [+ Add Another Matrix] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Matrix Dimensions
Supported Grid Sizes
| Dimension | Grid | Cells | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9-box | 3×3 | 9 cells | Standard talent reviews, simplicity |
| 12-box | 4×3 or 3×4 | 12 cells | More granular X or Y axis |
| 16-box | 4×4 | 16 cells | Detailed differentiation |
| 25-box | 5×5 | 25 cells | Maximum granularity |
Visual Comparison
9-Box (3×3):
Low Medium High
┌──────┬──────┬──────┐
High│ │ │ │
├──────┼──────┼──────┤
Med │ │ │ │
├──────┼──────┼──────┤
Low │ │ │ │
└──────┴──────┴──────┘
16-Box (4×4):
Low Med- Med+ High
┌──────┬──────┬──────┬──────┐
High │ │ │ │ │
├──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤
Med+ │ │ │ │ │
├──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤
Med- │ │ │ │ │
├──────┼──────┼──────┼──────┤
Low │ │ │ │ │
└──────┴──────┴──────┴──────┘
Configuring Axes
Axis Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name for the axis (multilingual) |
| Criteria | Which evaluation criterion this axis represents |
| Orientation | X-axis (horizontal) or Y-axis (vertical) |
| Labels | Labels for each level on the axis |
Available Axis Criteria
Based on enabled evaluation criteria:
- Performance
- Potential
- Risk of Loss
- Impact of Loss
Standard 9-Box Axes
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AXIS CONFIGURATION - 9-Box │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ X-Axis (Horizontal) │
│ ├── Criteria: Potential │
│ └── Labels: [Low] [Medium] [High] │
│ │
│ Y-Axis (Vertical) │
│ ├── Criteria: Performance │
│ └── Labels: [Low] [Medium] [High] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Configuring Cells
Cell Properties
Each cell in the matrix can be customized:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Label for the cell (e.g., "Star Performer") |
| Color | Background color for visual identification |
| Position | Grid coordinates (xPosition, yPosition) |
Default 9-Box Cell Names
POTENTIAL
Low Medium High
┌──────────┬──────────┬──────────┐
High │ Key │ Current │ Star │
│ Player │ Star │ │
├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┤
PERFORMANCE │ Core │ Core │ Future │
Med │ Player │ Player │ Star │
├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┤
Low │ Under- │ Effective│ Emerging │
│ performer│ │ Potential│
└──────────┴──────────┴──────────┘
Default Color Scheme
Standard 9-Box Colors:
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 🟡 Amber │ 🟡 Amber │ 🔵 Blue │ (Top Row) │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🟡 Amber │ 🔵 Blue │ 🟢 Green │ (Middle Row) │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🔴 Red │ 🟡 Amber │ 🔵 Blue │ (Bottom Row) │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Color Meanings:
🟢 Green - High performers to retain and develop
🔵 Blue - Solid contributors with potential
🟡 Amber - Requires attention or development
🔴 Red - Performance concerns to address
Cell Editor Interface
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ EDIT CELL │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Position: Row 3, Column 3 (High Performance, High Potential) │
│ │
│ Cell Name (multilingual) │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ EN: Star │ │
│ │ FR: Étoile │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Cell Color │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [🔴] [🟠] [🟡] [🟢] [🔵] [🟣] [Custom: #____] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [Cancel] [Save Cell] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Multiple Matrices
Campaigns can include multiple matrices for different purposes:
Use Cases for Multiple Matrices
| Matrix | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Performance vs Potential | Standard talent mapping |
| Risk vs Impact | Retention prioritization |
| Leadership vs Technical | Career track alignment |
Matrix Selection
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MATRICES (2 configured) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ★ Performance vs Potential (9-box) [Default] [Edit] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Risk vs Impact (9-box) [Make Default][×] │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [+ Add Another Matrix] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Matrix Visualization
Preview Mode
The matrix editor includes a live preview:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MATRIX PREVIEW: Performance vs Potential │
├─────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ←──────── POTENTIAL ────────→ │
│ Low Medium High │
│ ┌──────────┬──────────┬──────────┐ │
│ High │ 🟡 │ 🟡 │ 🔵 │ │
│ ↑ │Key Player│Curr Star │ Star │ │
│ │ ├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┤ │
│ PERF │ │ 🟡 │ 🔵 │ 🟢 │ │
│ │ │Core Play │Core Play │Fut Star │ │
│ ↓ ├──────────┼──────────┼──────────┤ │
│ Low │ 🔴 │ 🟡 │ 🔵 │ │
│ │Underperf │Effective │Emerg Pot │ │
│ └──────────┴──────────┴──────────┘ │
│ │
│ Click any cell to edit │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Matrix Data Structure
Understanding how matrix data is stored:
Matrix {
id: number;
name: string; // "Performance vs Potential"
dimension: 9 | 12 | 16 | 25; // Grid size
xAxis: {
id: number;
name: string; // "Potential"
criteria: string; // "potential"
labels: string[]; // ["Low", "Medium", "High"]
};
yAxis: {
id: number;
name: string; // "Performance"
criteria: string; // "performance"
labels: string[]; // ["Low", "Medium", "High"]
};
cells: [{
id: number;
name: string; // "Star"
color: string; // "#4CAF50"
xPosition: number; // 3 (High potential)
yPosition: number; // 3 (High performance)
}, ...];
}
Best Practices
Do's ✓
- Start with 9-box: Most intuitive, widely understood
- Use consistent colors: Follow organizational standards
- Name cells meaningfully: Clear labels aid calibration discussions
- Consider your audience: Match complexity to organizational maturity
- Preview before saving: Verify axis orientation and cell positions
Don'ts ✗
- Don't over-complicate: 25-box rarely needed for most organizations
- Don't mix incompatible axes: Ensure axes measure different dimensions
- Don't use confusing colors: Red=concern, Green=good is intuitive
- Don't skip cell names: Unnamed cells create confusion in calibration
Common Configurations
Classic Performance-Potential 9-Box
Matrix: Performance vs Potential
Dimension: 9-box
X-Axis: Potential (Low, Medium, High)
Y-Axis: Performance (Low, Medium, High)
Use: Standard talent mapping
Retention Risk Matrix
Matrix: Risk vs Impact
Dimension: 9-box
X-Axis: Risk of Loss (Low, Medium, High)
Y-Axis: Impact of Loss (Low, Medium, High)
Use: Retention prioritization
Detailed Leadership Assessment
Matrix: Leadership Capability
Dimension: 16-box
X-Axis: Strategic Thinking (Developing, Proficient, Advanced, Expert)
Y-Axis: People Leadership (Developing, Proficient, Advanced, Expert)
Use: Leadership development tracking
Navigation
- Previous: Evaluation Criteria
- Next: Review Assignment
- Back to: Documentation Index