80 percent of users only touch 20 percent of their software features

Let’s talk about my job today. Yes, I code software for living, especially iPhone Applications (example one, example two) but I used to develop Web or desktop applications using different technologies. If you are not interested by programming don’t read any further and go on Youtube watch some funny videos.  I warned you this post is about techies. Otherwise keep reading. Even though you don’t care about coding I am pretty sure this principle could be applied to other area. Tell me.

Back to topic

One thing I observed and software designers all over the world would probably corroborate: Most users  use only a small bunch of features brought by software.

Think about it a couple of seconds. Even if you don’t have a computer-related job you probably use software like Word or a Web browser (at least to read my website). Do you use every capabilities offered? I don’t think so, especially for very comprehensive ones like Excel or Outlook for instance.

What’s the point?

If people use very few functionality, why do you waste your time creating minor features nobody but you will use?

Focus on the main feature of your application (at least first) and put all your effort into it. To figure out what is the main feature just answer the following question. What is the core purpose of my application? The answer is generally the short pitch you tell to introduce it. Example: a file-sharing application is made to share files, not to sort files depending their kind.

Be careful, I don’t mean additional features are not necessary, I just mean build first a small but perfect  application and then focus on secondary stuff. Would you use Firefox if it displays webpages incorrectly? Even though its add-ons system is great. No…

Pay attention to software and web application that are release nowadays. Most of them turn out as beta with very few features and developing team adds functionalities progressively with new revisions.

In this topic I recommend you the Getting Real ebook by 37signals. It’s focused on web-based application but worth reading. Excerpt:

Getting real is less. Less mass, less software, less features,  less paperwork, less of everything that’s not essential (and most of what you think is essential actually isn’t).

If you create programs (and even if you don’t) I would be curious to hear your point of view.

photo credit: mpalis

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80/20 principle can also be applied to a field where numbers are generally not applied…like relationships.

Yes, relationships area is all about emotions and feelings but I am going to show you 80/20 rule may help you in this domain also.

Review your social circle

As usual with the 80/20 principle we are going to make a rough analysis. Think about all your friends and social circle members and rapidly estimate time and feeling for each relationship. When do you feel good, happy? Who make you often get frustrated or angry?…

Of course you can take paper and pencil and write down every feeling about you friends and family. Personally as I told you in a previous post I am rather a “80/20 thinking” person and don’t waste too much time to make full analysis…especially when it’s all about emotions.

Once we will be done with the quick review some evidence will become clear.

Find out fulfilling and toxic relationships

I know relationship field is not easy to handle and everything is not black or white but thanks to that you will detect toxic relationship. I mean relationship where you invest time on but that does not make your feel good or happy. Get rid of them (or at least invest less time) and on the opposite spend more time with your most valuable friends.

Thank you Scott for the post.
photo credit: Meredith_Farmer

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I often read online articles written by people who misunderstand the 80/20 principle. Here are the most common misconceptions about the 80/20 rule:

Two different things

Basically the 80/20 rule says :

80% of the output comes from 20% of the input.

80 and 20 are percentages of different things. Input and output aren’t the same things, it’s two different set of data like:

• sales and products
• time and tasks
• problems and sources
• …

80 + 20 = 100

Second misunderstanding : numbers 80 and 20 must add to 100. No, they don’t. Why? Because, as I explained in the first part, 80 and 20 represent two different things. You cannot add them. It’s stupid to add money and products or time and tasks…

Thus, you cannot represent the 80/20 rule with a pie chart.

It’s not absolutely 80 and 20

The idea behind the 80/20 principle is that few things have a big impact and most of them don’t matter. Using this rule I learned to prioritize my activities or thinking to achieve great results instead of wasting my time on details.

80 and 20 are only numbers that show things are imbalanced. It could be 70/30, 90/20 or 60/20…

photo credit: mandolux

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In his book, The 80/20 principle, Richard Koch shows there is two ways to understand and live THE rule: the 80/20 analysis and the 80/20 thinking.

On one hand the 80/20 analysis is a kind of scientific approach, you collect data, analyze them and try to find a 80/20 relationship between two different set of data. This relationship will allow you to make efficient decisions.
On the other hand 80/20 thinking calls for you intuition: no numbers, no calculation. You know things are not fairly distributed, so try to identify the minority that matters and downplay the rest. You don’t care whether it is a 80/20 relationship or a 90/15 or even a 75/25. The point is focus your energy, your time, your skills to get maximum result, work, rewards.

Why is 80/20 thinking important?

You don’t always have data: 80/20 analysis needs data. If you are a sales person and want to examine your work it’s easy to collect data about your customers and sales amount and analyze them but in plenty of other situations you cannot get data easily. For example you want to setup a new habit to get back in shape. In this case it is much more tough to determine how much food, exercise or rising early contribute to your goal.

You don’t always have time to analyze data: The goal of the 80/20 approach is to make smart decisions. Sometimes smart decision means quick decision. In some case you cannot wait a couple of weeks to gather data and spend one hour analyze them deeply. You need to get to the point fast. Using your guts, your logical to define what are the small amount of input that leads to great result.

Make the 80/20 thinking an habit

Think the 80/20 way is not natural. We would like to think the world is balanced and fair but the key is that not all things are equal, some contribute more than others. Not every work hour has the same impact, not every unit of your energy make you reach your goal in the same proportion.

You need to train your mind to identify things that matters.
Here is your assignment for today (and more) : every time you do something, try to figure out if yes or no your action is going to have a big impact. If the answer is no can you avoid it or minimize it?
But be careful several actions cannot be avoided: you have to pay your bills or do your laundry for example…
After some time asking yourself this question you will do it automatically and without thinking about it.

Your feedback

I will be interested to get your feedback about this topic. Are you more 80/20 thinking or 80/20 analysis? And why?
Don’t hesitate to give your opinion also if you just start your journey into the 80/20 principle world ;).

photo credit: khalid almasoud

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This is a fact (and I would like to hear about your arguments if you think it isn’t true): The world is not fair, balance does not exist.
Indeed a minority of the world population own a majority of world wealth, a minority of your customers create a majority of your revenue and a majority of crashes are caused by a minority of bugs…

The Pareto Principle

This imbalance was first noticed by an Italian economist, Wilfrid Pareto, who observed that 80% of Italy wealth was owned by 20% of the population. This rule was then generalized and states that 80% of the output is created by 20% of the input.
This law known as 80/20 rule (or Pareto Principle) has applications in every area of life from economy to time management including relationships or money.

Why is so useful?

The most important about the 80/20 rule is not numbers but the fact that most of things are not distributed evenly. Knowing that you can focus on the minority that matters and minimize the majority that doesn’t have a big impact:

• 80% of your revenue come from 20% of your customers: Be sure to satisfy them in priority.
• 80% of your returns come from 20% of your time: Identify key inputs and keep focus on them to improve your output.
• 80% of your expenses become from 20% of your expense categories: Identify them to save money.
• …

I will explain in future posts how the Pareto principle helped me and how I’m living the 80/20 way.
The goal of this blog is to show you how the 80/20 rule may be useful, share tips and how apply this law to improve your life in any area.

Welcome on board and enjoy the trip.

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