The 98/2 rule
The 98/2 rule as described in the Farnam Street newsletter back in July has really stuck with me:
We often fixate on the visible and exciting, overlooking that most success comes from consistently doing the mundane, unglamorous work that few notice.
The 98/2 Rule: people spend 98% of their time talking about flashy things that contribute only 2% to the results, while overlooking the fact that 98% of the results come from consistently doing the boring basics that few notice.
Ask yourself: Does the attention you give to something truly reflect its true importance?
It’s one of those rules that feel universal, and certainly apply to data transformation projects.
In those projects we often talk about the new platform and the tech that drives it. It’s flashy, attention grabbing, and exciting.
But for the transformation to be successful you need to do the more mundane stuff, which includes:
- Documentation
- Mapping processes
- Roadmaps & planning
- Building consensus
- Gap analysis
And so on.
Those things are much more important to the success of the transformation than the tech, and deserve more focus.