The Psychology of Quality and More

Pareto Curve

The Pareto Curve is the shape created when the bars of a Pareto Chart are progressively summed and the points joined together.

The final curve ends at 100% of items in the chart, which means that you can then draw a line across at 80% and 'bounce' it down to find the bar which, when combined with all bars to its left, will give 80% of all items. You can thus say 'To remove 80% of all problems, we must address X, Y and Z'.

See also:

Toolbook chapter: Pareto Chart