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Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

(I came across the following write-up on a discussion thread in one of the testing forums and am posting it here. Unfortunately, I forgot the name of the original contributor of the following piece)

 

The primary difference:Efficiency - productivity metric and Effectiveness - quality metric!

 

Efficiency is a productivity metrics meaning how fast one can do something. Hence Testing efficiency metric can be "No. of test cases executed per hour or per person day". This explains how efficient (i.e. fast) the person is at testing.

 

Effectiveness is a quality metrics meaning how good a person is at testing. Hence Testing effectiveness metrics can be "No. of bugs identified by a tester in a given feature / Total no. of bugs identified in that feature". Here the difference between total bugs and bugs identified by the tester could be that some bugs must have been uncovered by the customer since the tester was not able to detect them during testing.

 

If bugs uncovered by a tester and total no. of bugs are same, meaning that all the defects were uncovered by the tester, then he is 100 % effective in testing the product.

Feedback

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency.....Do the things right

Effectiveness......Do the right things 7/24/2004 4:00 PM | Mr.Sitthinath Sanpanich

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness means being able to achieve a set goal while

Efficiency is achieving the goals with minimum resources. 10/25/2005 5:26 PM | Kunle Oyetayo

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness= System Size/No of defects found by testing

Efficiency= No of test cases executed/Total number test cases 4/24/2006 8:11 AM | Manjula

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness= System Size/No of defects found by testing

Efficiency= No of test cases executed/Total number test cases 4/24/2006 8:11 AM | Manjula

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness= System Size/No of defects found by testing

Efficiency= No of test cases executed/Total number test cases 4/24/2006 8:12 AM | Manjula

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness is Happiness
Effeciency is Pleasure 6/24/2006 2:16 PM | Sudhaker

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency must come with mentality;
Effectiveness must come with planning. 8/3/2006 9:12 AM | Evy

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency concerns about the 'means'
Effectiveness concerns about the 'ends' 8/17/2006 5:50 AM | Cheryl

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

When I was with IBM, I remember I came across a definition which attributed efficiency to systems and processes and effectiveness to people. However, I also quote from engineering background a definition of efficiency as the output/input ratio.

Effectiveness seems to be related to achieving results (desired effects) regardless of how efficient or inefficient the involved system(s)/process(es) is or are

11/14/2006 9:38 PM | Mohammed Thiab

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

1. Efficiency is focussed on Process, Effectiveness on Output

2. Efficiency seeks conformance to norm (and aims to reduce varaiance); Effectivess aims to raise the performance level (and aims to change status Quo through a step change) 7/2/2007 6:02 AM | S.P.Singh

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effeciency is to save money, time & efforts regardless qulity
Effectiveness is how well the job gets done , focus on quality

7/21/2007 6:03 AM | Randa Ibrahim, Egypt

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Nice defination and usefull for all the people involve in such jargan in Devlopment sector. 8/10/2007 3:23 AM | Nabasis Das

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness is a measure of completeness of a product / service
Efficiency is a a measure of correctness of a product / service..

I extend my thanks for the people already posted here..it is useful for my presentation... thank you 8/28/2007 2:37 AM | Suresh Kumar

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

sir ,
I want clarifiction on difference between efficency and effictiveness. 8/29/2007 11:27 PM | rajiv ratna panda

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

- Efficiency is concerned with the relationship between planned processes and actual processes; and
- Effectiveness is concerned with the relationship between planned outputs and actual outputs.
9/26/2007 6:38 AM | David Gachoka

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Which is important in an organization effectiveness or efficiency. 10/31/2007 1:37 AM | bhdscb

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Which is important in an organization efficiency or effectiveness.
10/31/2007 1:39 AM | nmsx

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Organization uses the efficiency ore effectiveness.
10/31/2007 1:46 AM | sdd

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency and effectiveness despite its differences are interrelated. This is because while efficiency is looking at how a work is done. Effectiveness on the other hand looks into what is being done.Even though efficiency is regardless of quality, if the best efficient means is used, it turns out that quality products are achieved. 11/1/2007 11:16 AM | Stephanie Ampofowaa Adu

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency means Input /Output

Effectiveness : Input /Output * Tme

11/13/2007 5:04 AM | K.KARTHIC

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

For an organisation both efficiency and effectiveness are important. an organisation has set of objectives which it has to fulfill within the available resources. how far it is able to acheive its goals/objectives with minimum utilisation of resources determines its effectiveness and efficiency levels respectively... 1/29/2008 2:08 AM | Rohini Shinde

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness is more important. 2/10/2008 2:20 AM | Luna

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency means smile: effectiveness means happiness 2/15/2008 10:28 AM | Nemat

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

can you explain the factors which contribute to instructor's sense of effeciency and effectiveness? thanks 4/15/2008 9:52 AM | Jacky esternon

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency means save time , money and effort

Effectiveness means..to get the best quality product 5/3/2008 11:13 AM | Naqqash Merchant

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness means to accomplish a task according to its requirements with successful expected results.

Efficiency is to accomplish this task in best possible way.

5/8/2008 6:57 AM | ashfaq

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

what is the difference between effectiveness and efficiency. 5/14/2008 8:22 AM | margaret

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

the above write up is very clearly explained. it is short and conscise which add up to pleasure of reading. all the definations are clearly seperated which results increase visibility.
the addition of colour would have been brougt more distinction between various definitions. 5/26/2008 2:31 AM | ABHISHEK KUMAR

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness;is to do somthing well while Efficiency is to do something with a least possible means. 5/27/2008 6:19 PM | sheriff osman(outlaw)

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency is a productivity metrics meaning how fast one can do something. Hence Testing efficiency metric can be "No. of test cases executed per hour or per person day". This explains how efficient (i.e. fast) the person is at testing.



Effectiveness is a quality metrics meaning how good a person is at testing. Hence Testing effectiveness metrics can be "No. of bugs identified by a tester in a given feature / Total no. of bugs identified in that feature". Here the difference between total bugs and bugs identified by the tester could be that some bugs must have been uncovered by the customer since the tester was not able to detect them during testing. 7/8/2008 3:35 AM | Saeed Ahmad

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency = output (number of customer service calls taken per hour)

Effectiveness = outcome (customers who are satisfied with the answers received)
7/24/2008 1:35 AM | MGP

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

i want to know the difference between efficiency and effectiveness
9/1/2008 7:26 AM | krunal panchal

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness has to do with the achievement of objective but how the objective will be achieved is efficiency.
In effect effectiveness is achieving results but efficiency is using fewer resources to achieve the said results.

Example;
Sally and Sandra have been given 20units to produce the same output of 40units.
They both produced 40units of output but Sally used 12units of inputs whiles Sandra used all the 20units of inputs.

Here Sally and Sandra have all been effective since they have all achieved the required results of 40units of output.
But how the outputs were achieved is the question of efficiency. Sally used only 12units of output to achieve the 40units required output whiles Sandra used all the 20units of inputs to achieve the required 40units of outputs.

So we say Sally has been efficient (effective and efficient)
Sandra has not been efficient but effective. 10/8/2008 11:13 AM | Boakye-Yam Boadi

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

effectiveness -concerned about the ends
efficiency-concerned about the means 10/12/2008 8:48 AM | nitish joshi (bim-m)mba student

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency- Input / Output on a time window. (No of test cases executed versus no of test cases planned to be executed). Right skills is one of the factors for efficiency.

Effectiveness- Focus areas that brought about the end result. Good Quality process ensures effectiveness.
10/13/2008 3:36 AM | Nagesh

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness - Doing the Right Thing
Efficiency - Doing the Things in Right Way 10/14/2008 10:08 AM | Suresh Kumar Reddy B

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

I extend my thanks for the people already posted here..it is useful for my presentation... thank you
10/18/2008 11:40 PM | karan doshi

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency is to accomplish this task in best possible way.
Effectiveness has to do with the achievement of objective but how the objective will be achieved is efficiency.
In effect effectiveness is achieving results but efficiency is using fewer resources to achieve the said results. 11/20/2008 9:23 PM | jeff

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

the really awesome posts on the topic.....
i wd say there is a thin line of difference between the efficiency and effectiveness but only when the efficiency has been worked upon. To bring out the effective method, one really has to work very hard on its efficiency. so at the organization level efficiency takes the higher priority. 1/1/2009 3:13 AM | Chetna Angrish

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

The leader must discover that "Doing things right is not as important as doing the right thngs." 1/8/2009 1:23 AM | Hamid

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

eating soup with a fork is not efficient but effective. the job is done the hard way. eating the same soup with the spoon that you left in the drawer is efficency. it gets the same job done the easier way. 2/22/2009 7:51 AM | Moyoli

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

good article 3/28/2009 6:34 PM | bsrao

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

effeciency : do the job ordinary
effectiveness: do the job extra ordinary 3/30/2009 3:11 AM | saravana velu

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

very bad web site i cant understand it 4/2/2009 7:47 PM | falak

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Please email me this 4/13/2009 11:57 PM | Pamella

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Don't concentrate too much on the distinctions between the two words however. What's important is to determine what your own needs (or your company's needs) are, create categories for them, work to accomplish them, and then set up systems to measure your progress.

It's true that effectiveness and efficiency should be measured in this process, but we believe there are other, equally important things that need to be valued and, therefore, evaluated. They are:

* High levels of integrity;
* Legendary service for customers;
* Empowered employees; and
* Organization Productivity (efficiency).

So, to answer your question, efficiency and effectiveness are both important, but they're just two of the things on which you should be focusing. 4/27/2009 5:02 PM | engagement rings

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency and effectiveness are inter-related, however, efficiency is doing something well at a very minimal time without, that is being capable of doing something very skilfully without mistakes.

Effectiveness on the other hand, is producing the desired results in a particular thing. 5/4/2009 9:12 AM | Inny U

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Simple really:

Efficiency - Doing things right.
Effectiveness - Doing the right thing.

6/10/2009 8:15 AM | Satish Patel

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency is the amount performed and efficiency is how much the objective is achieved. 7/17/2009 12:23 AM | Hamade

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

tnx alot for these gr8 information 7/17/2009 12:31 PM | kazim

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

effective & efficiency 7/27/2009 4:24 AM | kamran

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Effectiveness ->WAY that produces the intended result or successful result.
Effectiveness->the quality of doing something well with no waste of time or money. 7/31/2009 1:46 PM | munkmink

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency = Output / Input (Resources)
Effectiveness = Output / Target
What is better? Answer: We can not answer.
Because Efficiency point to reducing resources (Time/Man/Machine/Material/Money/etc..)
Effectiveness point to reach target.
The best way. We need both of them. 8/22/2009 6:56 AM | JameJune

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

efficiency means the more attention is on output quantity, to be produced in less resourses

effectiveness means that the more attention is on output quality, to satisfy the consumers need 9/8/2009 2:33 PM | SHARFUL KHAN

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

In a industry both efficiency and effectiveness is requied but in combined manner, because when efficiency process will be done the effectiveness will be in mind. it will result in more productivity in less resourses with better quality for competitive advantage and for consumer satisfaction. 9/8/2009 2:46 PM | SHARFUL KHAN(dilkap res &mgt sd

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency - Within a given constraints, how best you can achieve your results in terms of its completeness and correctness.

Effectiveness - Achieving the best results but without having constraints. For example - if someone asked to do the a particular task, and provided him all the resources he needs and then judging him/her that how best are the results - defines the effectiveness of a person. 9/24/2009 10:05 AM | Rajnish Saxena

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Efficiency: more care about quality such as:time, money,effort
Effectiveness: more care about quality of product
generally, Effectivness is more important, but a company needs both of them to be more successful 9/25/2009 3:33 PM | A.Maddahi

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

productivity is indicator of efficiency and profitability is indicator of effecftiveness 10/17/2009 4:42 AM | farah

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

what is the difference between the effiency and effectiveness with excellent examples. 11/1/2009 1:52 AM | rajasekharam

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

Insractor At sun saharan countries 11/3/2009 1:03 AM | Gebrekidan

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

these information are very useful to me.because all will be clearly indicated in this page.so that will helping me to understand the concept clearly
11/6/2009 12:47 AM | buvaneshwari.k

# Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

efficiency means doing things right in order to achieve company's goals while effectiveness means doing the right things where the actual ouput meet the planned . 11/8/2009 4:12 AM | Eng.Sufian Jamous

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

effectiveness X efficiency = productivity

doing the right things right at the right moment with the right people = SUCCESS 11/20/2009 4:05 AM | Erkan DEREBEK

# re: Efficiency Vs Effectiveness

effectiveness refers to management’s use of organization resources in meeting organizational goals. If organizations are using their resources to attain their goals, the managers are said to be effective. In reality, however there are degrees of managerial effectiveness. The close an organization comes to achieving its goal, the more effective its managers are considered to be. Managerial effectiveness, then, exists on a continuum ranging from ineffective to effective.

efficiency is the proportion of total organizational resources that contribute to productivity during the manufacturing process. The higher this proportion the more efficient the manager. The more resources wasted or unused during the production process, the efficient manager. The situation, organizational resources refers not only to raw materials that are used in manufacturing goods or services but also related human effort. 11/24/2009 4:20 AM | Lutfi Sheriff Mohamed

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