Tier list template

Rank anything on a 7-tiered scale

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Tier list

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Use this tier list template to evaluate and rank concepts or ideas with a team. You can use a custom tier list as either an icebreaker activity to warm up a team, or as a prioritization method for many different ideas.

A tier list is a visual ranking system that helps teams prioritize, categorize, and evaluate items, ideas, or concepts. Each item is placed in a specific tier, ranging from the highest (S-tier) to the lowest (F-tier) based on its importance, quality, or relevance.

Tier list template benefits

Create a discussion and build engagement
Prioritize items based on quality or other subjective criteria
Improve clarity and alignment with a team
Create ownership and buy-in

How to use the tier list template

While most tier list makers aren’t too complicated, these steps can help you get started with your team.

Step 1: Define the purpose of your tier list

Whether you’re prioritizing ideas from a brainstorming session, or just running a quick icebreaker with your team, define the category of the items you’ll be evaluating. For an icebreaker activity, choose a category where your team has a base level of familiarity.

For example, this could be fast food restaurants, cereal varieties, popular tv shows, NFL teams, or even video games. A common use for tier lists is to rank animated tv shows (anime, for the uninitiated).

Step 2: Add your subjects to the canvas

If you don’t already have the ideas or items you want to rank, start adding them to the blank tier list canvas. You can add online images and thumbnails, gifs, imported media, or sticky notes to symbolize what you’re evaluating.

Step 3: Start ranking your items

Start adding your items to the tier list with Mural’s simple drag-and-drop features. You can always shift items around, so just start adding ideas now and move them around later.

Step 4: Finalize your list

After you’ve ranked your items on the tier list, start making note of what items ranked in the highest tiers.

Once consensus is reached, finalize the tier list and use it as a guide for decision-making, task prioritization, of project planning.

Step 5: Share or export your tier list

Now that you’ve prioritized your items, share your tier list with other team members and compare, or export the tier list as a png to save the image.

Tips for creating your own tier list

Set clear criteria: Ensure that the criteria for each tier are well-defined and agreed upon by the team. This minimizes confusion and ensures a fair ranking process.
Customize your tier list: You can change the background colors, text fonts, sticky notes, and more. Be sure to customize the tier list to your own preferences.‍
Encourage teams to make their own tier list: Now it might be hard to create the perfect tier list with a team, so you could also have each team member create their own tier list and compare afterward.

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Tier list template FAQs

What is a tier list?

How does the ranking system in a tier list work?

The ranking system in a tier list is a visual representation that categorizes items, ideas, or concepts into different tiers based on their relative quality, importance, or relevance. Each tier is assigned a letter grade, typically starting from "S" (the highest tier) and descending through "A," "B," "C," and so on, with "F" typically being the lowest tier. The precise letter grades used can vary depending on the context and the creator's preference. Here's how the ranking system in a tier list works:

S-Tier (superior): This is the top tier and typically represents the absolute best or most critical items. Items in the S-tier are exceptional, high-quality, or of the utmost importance. They are the cream of the crop.
A-Tier (excellent): The A-tier is one step below S-tier. It includes items that are still excellent, valuable, or very important, though not necessarily as outstanding as those in the S-tier.
B-Tier (good): Items in the B-tier are good, but they may have some room for improvement or may be of moderate importance. They are solid, but not exceptional.
C-Tier (average): The C-tier typically includes items that are average in quality or importance. They are neither particularly outstanding nor problematic.
D-Tier (below average): Items in the D-tier are below average, less important, or have notable flaws. They may require improvement or further consideration.
E-Tier (poor): Items in the E-tier are just slightly above the worst-ranking items. These items may have redeeming qualities, but are mostly worth ignoring in the evaluation and decision-making process.‍
F-Tier (fail): The F-tier is the lowest tier and represents items that are considered a failure, of the lowest quality, or the least important. These are items that should generally be avoided or disregarded.

Where do tier lists come from?

Tier lists originate from video game culture, where characters from a given video game are evaluated and ranked based on subjective qualities, such as viability in competitive settings. Tier lists are often used to evaluate characters or playable factions from League of Legends, Super Smash Bros., and Pokemon, for example.

What is the highest rank on a tier list?

The highest rank on a tier list is typically labeled as "S" tier. This category is reserved for the top-performing items, features, or choices that are considered superior in effectiveness or quality compared to all other options. In the context of the Mural Tier List template, items placed in the "S" tier represent the best possible selections within the specific criteria or category being evaluated.