Pareto Chart

Pareto Charts vs. Control Charts: Choosing the Right Quality Tool

When it comes to quality management and continuous improvement, few tools are as ubiquitous—or as misunderstood—as Pareto charts and control charts. Both are data-driven graphical methods that help teams focus their efforts, solve problems, and drive process improvements. But knowing when to use a Pareto chart versus a control chart can be the difference between superficial analysis and deep process understanding. In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between Pareto charts and control charts, their ideal applications, and how each ties back to foundational lessons from Deming’s Red Bead Experiment.