Quadrant Time Management
If an investigator is to prioritise work in the manner suggested in Module 7 (Case Management), then a system for prioritising should be prepared. One system for identification of priorities is the Quadrant, or Matrix System of Time Management.

Prioritisation of time use is said to be the result of two influences - urgency and importance. These two influences are graded thus: Low importance to high importance; and Urgent to non-urgent. These gradings are usefully illustrated on the Quadrant/Matrix diagram.

The reader can see how Quadrant 1 is identified as being of High Importance and Urgent. Quadrant 2 is identified as being of High Importance and of low urgency. Quadrant 3 is of Low Importance but high in urgency, and Quadrant 4 is low in importance and urgency.

The aim is to spend as much time as possible on tasks which are firmly located in Quadrant 2, with recognition that Quadrant 1 tasks sometimes come along and need attention. Quadrant 3 tasks are often administrative in nature, but need to be done, and need to be fitted in as and when possible. Quadrant 4 tasks should never take our attention. They aren't important at all.

Examples of Quadrant-related tasking is shown in the following illustration:

In order that more time can be spent in Quadrant 2, planning is called for. Planning is itself a Quadrant 2 task, and the investigator should not feel uncomfortable taking that time. A popular illustration of the benefits of planning is as follows.

With minimal planning, a task will take a certain amount of time to complete.

With more effort put into planning, less time will be needed for the execution of the task.

Planning Task Time The purpose of planning is to save time that can be better used on another profitable activity, or in leisure time.

Planning involves prioritising. That requires that the person responsible for carrying out a number of tasks must decide which tasks take priority. Using the Quadrant 2 matrix, prioritisation should follow the following format.

• List all the tasks that need to be done.
• Decide which quadrant they rest in.
• List them, then, in Quadrant order.
• Then list each Quadrant list in order of priority - as if going through the whole process again.
• Starting with Quadrant 1 tasks, work through them in order. Then move on to Quadrant 2, then Quadrant 3. It is not necessary that all tasks be completed before moving onto the next - only that as much work as can be done, is done. This may mean no more than making important appointments, or diarising so that the task can be done when it has to be done.

The caveat is that the number of Quadrant 1 tasks should be kept to a minimum simply by forward planning. Therefore most activity will be centred in Quadrant 2, and the investigator will spend most of the time dealing with matters that are Important, but not Urgent. That is, doing what needs to be done, but with plenty of time in which to do a high quality job.

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