subject: The 80/20 rule in practice [print this page] The 80/20 rule in practice The 80/20 rule in practice
The Pareto Principle
The Pareto principle is named after Vilfredo Paredo, an Italian economist of the 19th century, has also dealt with political matters.
He has at some point found that 20% of the population own 80% of the wealth and that is responsible for certain vegetable crops 20% of the plants for 80% of the revenues are.
And from these and other insights he has drawn up the 80/20 rule. This means roughly that 20% of the expenditure is for 80% of the results in charge.
However, this principle is not set in stone, but is intended simply to clarify that certain activities contribute more to the overall result than others.
Cost-benefit curve
A similar principle has fired at me during my studies. At that time it was made clear to the cost-benefit curve, which is even a theoretical principle, but good, has the benefit that is still relatively high at the beginning used per unit of effort / time.
But gradually decreases the benefit and on. So you work 1 hour in an article, then you will create quite a bit. Work is another hour to an article, it is that in any case improve significantly. The 3rd Hour that you invest in this article, but bring only relatively little improvement. And the 4th and 5 Hours improved the product less.
Another example is the design of an advertising banner. In the first unit of time to build on the banner and of course, creates a great deal in the next unit of time is filed in detail and optimized banner. we invested more time the improvements are always lower.
The banner is not 10 times better just because you invested so much 10 x time units. It is better, but just in ever smaller scale.
Application in practice
I've grown accustomed in recent years to let the 80/20 principle, or the cost-benefit curve into my work.
This is more of the unconscious in my general work, incorporated and not a conscious thing, which I count again.
I sit there and look at not just what the 20% are responsible for 80% of the result. It also does not work. How does one figure out what 20% of the work on a website is accurate and how to define 80% of the result?
It has certainly not meant Pareto and the 20 and 80% intended to illustrate the principle only.
Instead, it is a work based on the setting that you:
1.Not must be perfect. There are enough self-employed, designers and bloggers, the file will always remember certain things and only publish something if it is their opinion, is perfect. This takes time and the outcome may then also be very good, but it usually does not justify the extra effort. Good to very good enough as a rule. 99% of the customers / readers do not notice the difference.
2. Analyzed what work is absolutely necessary and which do not pay the cost-benefit ratio.
3. Ineffective activities carried out or not outsourced. I have had at the beginning of my self yet, of course, so many web design clients and therefore also done computer maintenance, networks established and maintained, artwork design, create online shops etc. At some point, I then realized that I am much more effective if I concentrate on certain core services and not doing anything.
4. Priorities set and in the daily work are different, the tasks are more important than others.
One should not stick to the exact numbers, but to watch the 80/20 rule as a general direction and attitude.
I try in everything I do, to analyze for me in mind, what are the really important activities and which will probably only use a little extra.
And I know that I usually bring more when I do it well and publish as if I'm working on it forever and try to make it perfect. Especially in the Internet, it is of course so that you can still make improvements in retrospect. This may not be possible in other industries. But there is enough opportunity to apply this principle.
Are details still important?
The focus on the most important and most productive "activities, however, should not mean that you let the details entirely.
So I am convinced that responsibility to "self on the net" and many of the details for success. It can therefore also detail work on the 20% fall, which are crucial.
I would like the new set certainly can hone weeks or months in my quiet room, and would at some point with a (for me) perfect results went public.
But that would have meant that I had a lot invested too much time in the layout and at the end would have the reader will probably still find things that they do not like.
Instead, I'm under the 13 week project implemented the layout in 1 week and released a good version. In retrospect, I still have optimized a few details that did not work so well. And the end result may not be perfect, but it is for me very well.
I am convinced that this approach was effective in the sum.
Analysis
Conversely, the 80/20 principle also means that you realize or find out what activities are important and effective and which are not.
As a self why you should not work only to himself but also to analyze which services for cost-benefit point of view are better than others. Also, some projects should e.g. measure the time needed for individual activities and compare them with the influence of these activities on the final result.
On a website / blog is also important to be analyzed. I've always stressed in my blog, how important to me statistics, but also the reader feedback. From these two sources I know very well what arrives at the reader very well, and which provides for many visitors. And I also recognize what does not seem so important and crucial.
If you only work towards the right or hinblogt who can not even know which activities are more important than others and that is the 80/20 principle can apply.
Conclusion
In the 80/20 rule should be the first 80 and the 20 forgotten or not it numb.
Instead, you should be aware that not all activities bring the same results and contribute as much to the final result.
This is a self-employed long-term success and not for many years, still works 14 hours a day and just make ends meet comes, you have to focus on activities that bring the best results.
This may be in a larger context, the services that one provides. Which ones bring in the shortest time, most revenue? What activities do I offer that require much effort, but hardly expected at the end.
This is true but also details of their own work, so that you should also consider for individual projects, what is really necessary and justified on cost-benefit point of view can be.
For the 80/20 principle is one but also that you can not ignore all the details? Also, details can have large effects.
What is your view on this principle and it is perhaps a similar procedure?
