Which of the following is the MOST effective technique for prioritizing critical factors for problem- solving?

Question

Options

• AVenn diagram
• BScatter diagram.
• CPareto diagram
• DCause-and-effect diagram

• A
  17% (6)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  71% (25)
• D
  9% (3)

Explanation

A Pareto diagram directly supports prioritization by applying the 80/20 rule - it ranks factors by frequency or impact using a bar chart with a cumulative percentage line, making it immediately clear which few causes account for most of the problem. The other options serve different analytical purposes: a Venn diagram (A) visualizes overlapping relationships between groups, not priority order; a scatter diagram (B) reveals correlations between two variables, not which factors matter most; and a cause-and-effect diagram (D) - also called a fishbone or Ishikawa diagram - helps identify potential root causes but does not rank or prioritize them.

Memory tip: Think "Pareto = Priority" - both start with P, and the Pareto principle (80% of problems come from 20% of causes) is the whole point of the diagram.

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