The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a widely used distribution pattern that allows practitioners to understand the importance of small changes. Named after the Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that 80 percent of the land in Italy was owned by only 20 percent of the population. Pareto discovered that a similar phenomenon could be observed in many areas of life, and so the principle was born.
In business, the Pareto principle is often demonstrated by the 80/20 rule; which states that in any given situation, 80 percent of the results stem from 20 percent of the effort. Put another way; if you invest 100 hours of effort into a task, only 20 of those hours produce 80 percent of the results.
The Pareto Principle has long been used by management and economics professionals to measure and regulate resource allocation, as it demonstrates that a significant imbalance can exist between input and output. This can help a business to determine the best and most effective use of its resources by focusing on that 20 percent that yields the highest return.
In addition to resource allocation and operational efficiency, the Pareto Principle can also assist businesses in problem solving. By identifying the underlying causes of any given issue, businesses can then prioritize the most significant sources of trouble and problem area, allowing them to focus their efforts more efficiently.
For example, a detailed action plan may identify five root causes of a problem, but the Pareto principle can inform the team that two of them, although each accounting for a smaller percentage of the issue, are more significant, and so should be focused on and prioritized.
Overall, the Pareto Principle is a powerful tool for businesses and management alike. By understanding how to measure and prioritize effort, businesses can achieve energy and time efficiency and increase overall efficiency. By understanding common underlying patterns, businesses can understand how to identify the most important sources of a problem, and hence reverse engineer their solutions. By applying the Pareto Principle to all areas of decision-making and operations, businesses can make more informed decisions, allowing them to focus their resources and effort so that they generate the greatest return.