Monday, May 31, 2010

The 20% rule of thumb for training

The 20% rule of thumb for training. Most training initiatives result in improved knowledge and performance. The 20% rule of thumb for training says you can improve an 80% performer to a 96, but a 20% performer to no more than a 24.
More Rules of Thumb

Saturday, May 29, 2010

The real estate appreciation rule of thumb

The real estate appreciation rule of thumb. Real estate prices and price fluctuations vary by locality and are affected by several factors, such as economic cycles and consumer lifestyles. A real estate rule of thumb says, generally, the price of real estate doubles every ten years.
More Rules of Thumb

Friday, May 28, 2010

The life insurance policy rule of thumb

The life insurance policy rule of thumb. There are several methods to determine how much life insurance is necessary for an individual. A good life insurance rule of thumb says you need $120,000 in insurance for every $500 of monthly income.
More Rules of Thumb

Thursday, May 27, 2010

The politics rule of thumb

The politics rule of thumb. Politics may be formally defined as the art or science of government. A good rule of thumb definition of politics says the fundamental definition of politics is: "who gets, and who pays."
More Rules of Thumb

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The problem solving rule of thumb

The problem solving rule of thumb. A simple rule of thumb for problem solving: compare what you have with what you want to achieve, define the difference between them, and find a way to reduce the difference. Repeat this sequence until the problem is solved.
More Rules of Thumb

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The high technology rule of thumb

The high technology rule of thumb. There is no hard and fast definition of what constitutes a high technology company. A business rule of thumb says a company is "high tech" if at least 10% of its employees are engaged in research and development activities.
More Rules of Thumb

Monday, May 24, 2010

The lap cat rule of thumb

The lap cat rule of thumb. Most domestic cats become lap cats over time. A lap cats will usually look to jump in the lap of anyone setting nearby. A feline rule of thumb says avoid eye contact with a cat if you do not want it to jump in your lap.
More Rules of Thumb

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Feather’s rule of thumb

Feather’s rule of thumb. American publisher and author William Feather is often quoted in books and websites. One of Feather’s quotes doubles as a good business rule of thumb, "beware of the man who won't be bothered with details."
More Rules of Thumb

Saturday, May 22, 2010

The effect versus affect rule of thumb

The effect versus affect rule of thumb. Many stumble over when to use "effect" versus "affect" in a sentence. The writer’s rule of thumb for effect versus affect says use effect as a noun and affect as a verb.
More Rules of Thumb

Friday, May 21, 2010

The great grandma nutrition rule of thumb

The great grandma nutrition rule of thumb. Modern food processing has introduced a host of food additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. Some not considered healthy. To this end, a good nutrition rule of thumb says you should not eat anything your great-great grandmother would not recognize as food.
More Rules of Thumb

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Website design rules of thumb

Website design rules of thumb. Some rules of thumb for good website design: do not use splash pages; do not use excessive banner advertisements; provide simple and clear navigation; have a clear indication of where the user is; and avoid using audio on your site.
More Rules of Thumb

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The tester’s rule of thumb

The tester’s rule of thumb. The testing phase of a project is perhaps the most important. Reinforcing this concept, a fundamental project management rule of thumb says what has not been tested does not work.
More Rules of Thumb

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The work rule of thumb

The work rule of thumb. Parkinson's business rule of thumb says the amount of work usually expands to fill the time allotted to its completion.
More Rules of Thumb

Monday, May 17, 2010

The woodworker’s rule of thumb

The woodworker’s rule of thumb. A woodworking rule of thumb says always finish the job with the same number of fingers you started with.
More Rules of Thumb

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Rebate versus financing

The rebate versus financing rule of thumb. This rule says take the rebate when you have the choice of a rebate versus better financing in a new car purchase. After accepting the rebate, buyers should negotiate the lowest rate of financing available, be it with a bank, credit union or the dealer.
More Rules of Thumb

Saturday, May 15, 2010

The garden pruning rule of thumb

The garden pruning rule of thumb. A gardening rule of thumb says prune plants in the winter if they bloom on the current year's growth. For plants that bloom from last year's growth, prune after their blooms begin to die.
More Rules of Thumb

Friday, May 14, 2010

The calorie consumption rule of thumb

The calorie consumption rule of thumb. Dieters commonly count calories to help them stay on their diet. A good nutrition rule of thumb says a person should consume about ten calories per day per pound of body weight. For example, 1,500 calories would suffice for a 150 lb person.
More Rules of Thumb

Thursday, May 13, 2010

The women’s rule of thumb

The women’s rule of thumb. A good rule of thumb from the perspective of women says if it has tires or testicles, you are going to have problems with it.
More Rules of Thumb

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The supermarket checkout rule of thumb

The supermarket checkout rule of thumb. If you change lines in the supermarket checkout, the one you just left will start to move faster than the one you are now in.
More Rules of Thumb

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

The horsepower rule of thumb

The horsepower rule of thumb. An energy rule of thumb calculates one horsepower moves 550 pounds per second. Restated, one horsepower equates to lifting 33,000 pounds one foot over a period of one minute.
More Rules of Thumb

Monday, May 10, 2010

The healthy eater’s five-second rule

The healthy eater’s five-second rule. A healthy eating rule of thumb says to consider the floor you are eating from when applying the food five-second rule.
More Rules of Thumb

Sunday, May 9, 2010

The 50-50-90 rule of thumb

The 50-50-90 rule of thumb. The 50-50-90 probability rule suggests that anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there is a 90 percent probability you will get it wrong.
More Rules of Thumb

The homeowner’s insurance rule of thumb

The homeowner’s insurance rule of thumb. Most lenders require a buyer to obtain a homeowners insurance policy. A rule of thumb for estimating the annual policy premium for a home says $3 for every $1,000 of loan value. For example, a $200,000 home would have a $600 annual homeowner’s insurance premium.
More Rules of Thumb

Friday, May 7, 2010

Bear versus bull rule of thumb

The bear versus bull rule of thumb. A bull market is a prolonged period of rising stock prices. A bear market is a prolonged period of stock price declines. A Wall Street rule of thumb says a bear market is about half as long in duration as a bull market.
More Rules of Thumb

Thursday, May 6, 2010

The dog age rule of thumb

The dog age rule of thumb. The average dog has a lifespan of 10 to 12 years. A canine rule of thumb calculates a dog's age by counting the first year as 15, the second year as 10, and 5 for each year after. For example, at 3 years a dog is about 30 dog years of age.
More Rules of Thumb

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The venture capital rule of thumb

The venture capital rule of thumb. Venture capital is a type of private equity typically directed toward new businesses. Venture capitalists are very selective. A business rule of thumb says venture capitalists invest in about one in four hundred opportunities presented to them.
More Rules of Thumb

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The tipping rule of thumb

The tipping rule of thumb. Most restaurant workers earn less than minimum or standard wage, with the balance made up through tips. The rule of thumb for tipping restaurant workers says 15% to 20% of the total bill, with 20% for great service.
More Rules of Thumb

Monday, May 3, 2010

Yogi Berra’s baseball rule of thumb

Yogi Berra’s baseball rule of thumb. New York Yankees legacy Yogi Berra offered up perhaps the best rule of thumb for baseball when he suggested, "ninety percent of baseball is half mental."
More Rules of Thumb

Sunday, May 2, 2010

The two-second rule of thumb

The two-second rule of thumb. Tailgating occurs when a person drives dangerously close behind the car ahead. The two-second driving rule of thumb says allow two-seconds of driving distance between your car and the car in front of you to allow enough time to stop your car if necessary.
More Rules of Thumb

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The tailor's rules of thumb

The tailor's rules of thumb. Tailors have handed down simple measuring shortcuts through the years. A tailor's rule of thumb says a person's wrist is about twice the circumference of their thumb, their neck is four-times, and their waist is eight-times.
More Rules of Thumb