Magic Quadrant
2x2 Matrix
A decision support technique of options plotted on a two-by-two matrix where the matrix diagram is a simple square divided into four equal quadrants. Each axis represents a decision criterion, such as cost or effort. Each axis is divided into two sections (example: low cost/high cost and easy/difficult).
Origin
The format has roots in game theory, where 2×2 payoff matrices long predated business use. Igor Ansoff brought the structure into corporate strategy in 1957 with his Product/Market Growth Matrix. The most influential business application was the BCG Growth Share Matrix — first sketched by BCG employee Alan Zakon and popularized by founder Bruce Henderson in his 1970 essay "The Product Portfolio" — which divided businesses into Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, and Dogs.