Make Better Decisions Using Pairwise Comparisons
Have you ever struggled to rank a list of options - whether it’s choosing the best project name, prioritizing features, or even deciding which restaurant to try? You’re not alone. Humans are great at comparing two things at a time ("Do I prefer pizza or tacos?") but terrible at ranking long lists ("Rank these 10 cuisines in order!").
That’s why we built Analysis Paralysis Begone, a free tool that uses the Bradley-Terry model (a statistical method from the 1950s) to turn simple "A vs B" choices into a clear ranking.
Why Pairwise Comparisons Work
The Bradley-Terry model calculates a "strength" score for each item based on how often it wins head-to-head matchups. For example:
If "Taco" beats "Pizza" 3 out of 5 times, it gets a higher score.
If "Pizza" then beats "Sushi" consistently, it stays in the middle.
The tool does this for multiple pairs, then sorts the final ranking.
This method is mathematically robust and avoids the biases that come with direct ranking (like always picking the first option you see).
A Real Example: Naming Projects After Bob Mortimer’s Cat Names
We recently needed codenames for internal projects and decided to use a high quality source: Bob Mortimer’s cat names. Here’s how it worked:
We entered 7 names ("Ken Turmoil", "Paul Workclothes" etc.) into the tool.
The tool presented random pairs ("Tony Caramel vs. Max Panscourer”).
After 21 quick comparisons, it generated a ranking - with "Gary Chapati" emerging as the clear winner (and "Ron Paving" sadly at the bottom).
When to Use This Tool
Team decisions: Rank design mockups, feature ideas, or even interview candidates (I really hope someone turns this into an awful linkedin post).
Personal choices: Compare vacation destinations, books to read, or pet names.
Breaking ties: When voting leads to a deadlock, pairwise comparisons often reveal a true preference.
There is a downloadable summary, so you’ll have a the pairwise comparisons that led to the ranking. (Oh yeah, and all the logic is built into the web-page, so no-one except you will see what you’ve been comparing)
Try It Yourself
List your items (up to 10).
Compare them two at a time.
Get a ranked result—with scores for each option.
