Apr
4
Written by:
host
4/4/2010 5:35 PM
I often observe colleagues in meetings confuse and misuse the terms “efficiency” and “effectiveness”. As a project manager, it’s our responsibility that we understand the difference between these terms, and most importantly – ensure the both ourselves and our teams are doing both.
Effectiveness is doing the right things
Efficiency is doing things well.
Do the right things well - Be effectively efficient!
You can excel at optimizing people, tactics, processes, and requirements - this is efficiency. You can strive to understand your customer, market, and strategic goals - this is effectiveness. A good project manager knows the difference and lead their team towards both. Be effectively efficient!
Stepcase Lifehack has a good article on the subject from a personal productivity perspective. Additionally, Better Projects has thoughts from a professional’s view.