The words “effective” and “efficient” or “effectiveness” and “efficiency” are essentially the same as far as general usage is concerned. However, because context is also essential in the English language, particularly in grammar and composition, using the words “effective” and “efficient” should be restricted within their specific definitions.
Effective vs Efficient or Effectiveness vs Efficiency: What is the Difference?
General Definitions
Nonetheless, the difference between effective and efficient centers on the scope of their respective definitions. Effectiveness essentially pertains to the capability to produce desired results while efficiency means the capability to produce desired results without any waste.
To be effective is also to accomplish a task regardless of resource consumption. To be efficient is to accomplish a task at in minimum cost and maximum possible quality. This means that another difference between the two is that efficiency is easily quantifiable or measurable.
Resources can pertain to financial cost, time, and other inputs necessary to the accomplishment of a task. A task that is effectively accomplished might involve maximum consumption of allotted resources or in some instances, overconsumption of resources. A task that is efficiently accomplished strictly involves minimal resource consumption.
Furthermore, in taking into consideration the consumption of resources, effectiveness is only about the output while efficiency is about the outcome. This means that to be effective is to “do the right things” while to be efficient is to “do things right.”
There is a similarity between the two. Both effectiveness and efficiency pertain to the capability to produce a desired result. However, considering the aforementioned, and between the two, effectiveness is more general in scope while efficiency is more specific.
Specific Examples
Both analogy and examples would help explain better the glaring difference between effective and efficient or effectiveness and efficiency. Consider traveling. Taking any established route that gets one to the destination is considered effective even if it takes twice as long.
However, there is a more efficient way to travel. It involves taking alternative routes like shortcuts that lessen the travel time or options that are more affordable and convenient. The goal of efficient traveling is to get to the destination as fast and affordable as possible.
The aforementioned example illustrates the fact that effectiveness is more about hard work and efficiency is about smart work. The former focuses on doing the work to produce an output regardless of the effort or input while the latter is concerned with arriving at an outcome with minimal input. Both are interrelated but efficiency is more ideal.
Other examples can be seen in the workplace or in running a business. The effective way to land clients is to send out marketing and sales messages to as many people as possible. The efficient alternative is to list and focus on a limited number of qualified prospects.
An effective approach to project management is to complete the deliverables on time and within the budget. An efficient approach is to do the same with less time and budget. It is important to meet goals and to do it in a manner that does not waste resources.
