How to Work Smarter with the 80-20 Rule

“OK, let me see your list.”

I was fresh out of architecture school and working on my first project as a designer. It was one week before our design Development Deadline. The project manager asked me to draw up a list of remaining design issues.

“Here are the ten things I have left,” I said as  I handed over the list. “It was hard to prioritize them. They’re all really important.”

I was fortunate to be working with an experienced project manager who, in addition to being extremely patient with me, saw it as her responsibility to mold and shape green architecture graduates into fully functioning architects. Not an easy task. . .

“So you’re telling me that designing custom coat hooks is as important as fine-tuning the proportions of the massing?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Well. . . I mean. . . no. Not when you put it that way. . .” I stammered.

“And,” she continued, “do you really think the restroom tile pattern will bring as much to the project as finishing the design of…