The Pareto Principle, commonly known as the 80/20 rule, is a concept that can be applied to a wide range of fields, and software development is no exception. This principle states that 80% of results in a system come from 20% of the causes1. When applied in the right way, the Pareto Principle can revolutionize how we approach software development, allowing us to focus our efforts where they matter most.
Understanding the Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle was named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed that approximately 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. The principle has since been applied to numerous areas, from business to health care, and yes – even software development.
The basic idea behind the Pareto Principle is that not all inputs in a system are equal: a minority of causes, inputs, or effort usually leads to a majority of the results, outputs, or rewards. In the realm of software development, this could mean that a small portion of your codebase could be causing the majority of bugs, or that a few key features are driving the majority of user engagement.
The Pareto Principle and Software Product Creation
Recognizing the power of the Pareto Principle is the first step toward creating more effective and efficient software products. By understanding that a small subset of our actions can lead to the majority of our desired results, we can streamline the software development process, focusing our time and resources on what truly matters.
This principle encourages developers to step back and identify the critical elements of their projects - the parts that will have the most significant impact on their end product. By doing so, we can direct our efforts towards high-value activities, improving product quality, and reducing development time.
In conclusion, the Pareto Principle serves as a powerful reminder for software developers. It reminds us that not all lines of code are created equal, not all features are equally valuable, and not all bugs are equally critical. By identifying and focusing on the vital 20%, we can ensure that our efforts are impactful, leading to higher quality software and more satisfied users. The Pareto Principle, therefore, is not just a rule of thumb; it's a tool for strategic software development.
Examples
- 80% of a certain piece of software can be written in 20% of the total allocated time (conversely, the hardest 20% of the code takes 80% of the time)
- 20% of the effort produces 80% of the result
- 20% of the work creates 80% of the revenue
- 20% of the bugs cause 80% of the crashes
- 20% of the features cause 80% of the usage
- In 2002 Microsoft reported that by fixing the top 20% of the most-reported bugs, 80% of the related errors and crashes in windows and office would become eliminated (Reference).
Source: https://medium.com/design-ibm/the-80-20-rule-in-user-experience-1695de32aaae