Plus Minus Interesting (PMI)

A PMI chart for weighing an idea before you decide

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Plus

What are the positive aspects?

This approach could reduce our development cycle by 20%
The new process gives team members more autonomy
We'll save significant costs on infrastructure
Minus

What are the negative aspects?

We might need additional training to implement this
The initial setup costs seem quite high
Some team members may resist the change
Interesting

What is unknown or makes us curious?

I wonder how this might affect our remote team members
Could we adapt this approach for other departments?
This reminds me of a similar project at my previous company

What is the Plus Minus Interesting Analysis?

Plus Minus Interesting (PMI) is a thinking tool Edward de Bono developed to stop people judging an idea too quickly. Before anyone decides, the group lists the idea's positives (Plus), its negatives (Minus) and anything that's neither but worth exploring (Interesting). The Interesting column is the difference between PMI and a pros and cons list. It holds the neutral points, open questions and "what if" ideas that a two-column list has no place for, and that's often where the most useful thinking turns up. PMI comes from de Bono's work on lateral thinking, the same body of work that produced the Six Thinking Hats, and it's part of his CoRT thinking program. He called it an attention-directing tool. You move your attention through all three columns in turn, so you can't stop as soon as you've confirmed what you already believed, and that's why it helps with confirmation bias. To make a PMI chart, draw three columns and give everyone a few minutes to add points to each one in turn. Say your team is weighing a switch to a four-day work week. A Plus might be "more focus, less burnout", a Minus "harder to cover support on Fridays", and an Interesting "would clients even notice?" or "could we trial it for one quarter?". Only once all three columns are full does the team weigh up and decide, and that's often when the best idea turns out to be sitting in Interesting.

Plus Minus Interesting Format

Plus

What are the positive aspects?

Ask participants to name the clear benefits and good outcomes. Push for specific examples over general statements. Think about the immediate payoffs as well as the long-term ones.

Minus

What are the negative aspects?

Encourage honest, constructive criticism without judgment. Focus on identifying genuine risks and challenges that need addressing. Help the team view negative points as opportunities for improvement.

Interesting

What is unknown or makes us curious?

Help participants explore possibilities, questions, and unique angles. This category should capture insights that aren't clearly positive or negative but deserve consideration.

When to use this retrospective

  • When you're weighing a significant change or new initiative that affects the team or organization
  • When a decision involves several stakeholders who see it differently
  • When a complex problem needs breaking into parts before anyone can judge it
  • When the group is about to decide too quickly and you want every angle considered first

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • What's the most interesting decision you've made that initially seemed negative but turned out positive?
  • If you could instantly know the outcome of any decision, what would you want to evaluate first?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Ask everyone to add to all three columns, even if their first reaction is strongly for or against
  • Timebox each column so each one gets the same attention
  • Dot vote after collecting to find the points that matter most in each column
  • Hold the debate until every point is on the board
  • Keep the tone neutral during Minus so people feel safe raising concerns
  • Save the chart afterward, since the Interesting column often holds ideas worth coming back to

Frequently asked questions

What is a PMI chart?
A PMI chart is a three-column grid (Plus, Minus and Interesting) for weighing an idea, decision or change before you reach a conclusion. Positives go in Plus, drawbacks in Minus, and neutral observations, open questions or possibilities in Interesting. That third column is what sets it apart from a pros and cons list.
How do I make a Plus Minus Interesting template?
Make three columns labeled Plus, Minus and Interesting, and write the idea you're weighing at the top. Give the group a few minutes per column, in that order, so each gets equal attention. In TeamRetro, everyone adds ideas privately first, then the team groups and votes on them together.
Who invented PMI?
Edward de Bono, the psychologist and author best known for the Six Thinking Hats and the idea of lateral thinking. He made PMI an attention-directing tool in his CoRT (Cognitive Research Trust) thinking program, to stop people judging an idea before they've looked at it from every side.
What's the difference between PMI and a pros and cons list?
A pros and cons list has two columns and a PMI chart has three. The Interesting column keeps the neutral points, uncertainties and "what if" ideas that a pros and cons list drops. It also makes the group keep thinking past the point where a two-column list would let them stop at what they already believed.
When should a team use PMI instead of dot voting?
Use PMI to look at a single idea, decision or change in depth and see the reasoning behind it. Use dot voting to choose between many options quickly. They work well together: run PMI on a few shortlisted ideas, then dot vote to pick one.

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