Three offices, six criteria, and the one I'd sign

Graham, Esther: our lease on Quay Street ends June 30. I scored the three offices on our shortlist against the six things you said matter, then weighted them the way I think the firm would. Drag the sliders to your own priorities and see whether the answer holds. I need your call by Thursday, December 3.

The matrix

Every office gets 1 to 5 on each criterion, and 5 is best. A slider sets how much that criterion counts, shown as its share of the decision. Raise one and the others count for less.

Back to my weights Weigh all six equally

Where the ranking flips

Starting from my weights and moving one slider at a time:

• Yearly cost up to 9 or 10 puts Eastfield Park first. That is cost counting for about 40% of the decision.
• Commute down to 2 or less does the same. At 3, The Malthouse and Eastfield Park are level on 68.9.
• Room to grow up to 8 or more also favors Eastfield Park, which has desks for 44.
• Nothing puts Copper Row first. It is the middle office on five rows and last on the lease, so no single slider lifts it to the top.

How I scored

Two rows follow a rule. The rest are judgment, and you can overrule me.

• Yearly cost. $200,000 or less is a 5. Each further $40,000 takes a point off.
• Commute. Under 35 minutes is a 5. Each further 5 minutes takes a point off.
• The other four are my read from the viewings on November 10 and 12. If you'd score one differently, tell me and I'll change this page.
• Left out: the view, the coffee nearby and which office each of us liked best. All three favor The Malthouse, and none should decide a five-year lease.

Next step

Choose by Thursday, December 3.

The agent for The Malthouse is holding the floor for us until December 10. Its fit-out takes three weeks, so a signature before the holidays leaves months to spare before Quay Street ends.