May 26, 2008

Pareto's Principle.


The 80/20 rule asserts that approximately 80% of the effects generated by any large system are caused by 20% of the variables in that system. The 80/20 rule is observed in all large systems, including those in economics, management, interface design, engineeing, etc. (often the the proportion varies between 10% and 30%).

  • 80% town's traffic is on 20% of its roads
  • 80% of a company's revenue comes from 20 percent of its products
  • 80% of a product's usage involves 20 percent of its features
  • 80% of income in Italy went to 20% of the population (the original observation of Vilfredo Pareto, in 1906)
Can you apply the Pareto's principle also to architecture? Do 20% of design decision affect 80% the building's quality? Like the "strong formal distinctions between served spaces and servant spaces" - as Louis Kahn proposed? Maybe then it's only worth watching 20% of a masterpiece.

3 comment(s):

Pixel said...

The rule should be X% of the effects generated by any large system are caused by 100-X% of the variables in that system.

Otherwise this rule is bullshit ;)

archaalto said...

one could argue that 80% of a proposed architectural solution is already given by the surrounding contextual forces, and the architect only needs to provide the remaining 20% to complete it.

Rubas said...

Strange Responses, why look outside?

I do divide my projecting work in two, design & resolve. Being design the conceptual part is teh 80% of the character of the building. Resolving constructive details, in the other hand takes 80% of the time not affecting the ccharacter of the buliding.