The 80/20 Rule: A Guide for Software Developers (2024)

The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, is a statistical rule that states that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of causes. The 80/20 rule can help software developers determine how to best allocate time, money and resources. When using the 80/20 rule, software developers try to prioritize the 20% of processes that give the greatest results.

The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto principle, is a statistical rule that states that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of causes. The 80/20 rule was named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who observed this pattern in his studies of wealth distribution in societies. He found that 80% of the land and wealth in Italy was owned by 20% of the population in 1906. He also noticed that 80% of the peas in his garden came from 20% of the pea pods. Later, the 80/20 rule was applied to other domains, such as business, quality control, and software development, by researchers and practitioners who found similar patterns of unequal distribution of inputs and outputs. The 80/20 rule is often used as a tool for productivity and management, as it helps identify the most important and effective factors that lead to the most desirable outcomes. However, the 80/20 rule is not a universal law, and it may vary depending on the context and the data. It is also not a substitute for…