ABSTRACT
As Anne Lamott wrote in Bird by Bird, “Find the acre in which the ideas inhabit, clear out any unnecessary ideas and focus on the acre of space” (Lamott, 1995). It is about limiting distractions on your projects and within your team. Find where the success lies and focus your attention there. Find out who or what is producing most effectively and focus your resources there. Cut the fat out of your operation. The 80/20 technique will force you to find that acre of space, then find the acre within the acre, and then find the acre within the acre of the acre. Use this technique until you cannot anymore. Similar to the work breakdown structure (WBS), which breaks down the project to the task level, use the 80/20 technique to the lowest denominator possible. Continue to find that acre of space where success lies, then go deep into the analysis of why it is successful and what makes it so successful. Luck and happenstance are not reasons.
