the Pareto principle
noun[S]
ECONOMICS,WORKPLACE,PRODUCTIONukus(alsoPareto's law);(informalthe 80/20 rule)theideathat asmallquantityofworkorresources(=time,money,employees, etc.)canproducealargenumberofresults:
The Paretoprinciple, whenappliedtotime,statesthat 20% ofyourtimedetermines80% ofyourproduction.
The Paretoprinciplecan beappliedtoqualityimprovement, as themajorityofproblems(80%) areproducedby a fewkeycauses(20%).