A structured table for comparing multiple options against multiple criteria. Options form the rows, criteria form the columns, and each cell holds a score for how well that option satisfies that criterion.
Decision matrices force implicit trade-offs into the open — instead of arguing about which vendor "feels right," teams have to agree on which criteria matter and how each vendor performs. The unweighted form is fast but treats every criterion equally; the weighted form (see Weighted Decision Matrix) is the more rigorous variant.