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I've found that the most underrated problem solving tool is simply typing out my thought process. I used to be the type who asked a lot of questions until I re

I've found that the most underrated problem solving tool is simply typing out my thought process. I used to be the type who asked a lot of questions until I realized that formulating the question was often more important than getting the answer.

cjsawyer 6y ago
You can’t answer the question until it exits!
typicalbender 6y ago
It's amazing how much a technique like rubber ducking[1] helps to work through issues. The number of times I've felt like I have no idea how to solve a problem until the moment after I ask someone else is incredible. I think the act of thinking how to explain the problem to someone else really helps trigger the problem solving side of the brain. That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more productive than hours of debugging time is frankly mind boggling. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging
- tripu 6y ago
  Rubber duck debugging is extremely useful to unblock. I very rarely use an inanimate object, though — for me, the real help is the first or second (apparently very basic) question that the other person poses to me. That key question usually comes at what would seem the beginning of my explanation, but there lies the magic. Rubber ducks don't ask questions.
- agustamir 6y ago
  I was stuck debugging a chip for a day until I finally decided to write to the FAE. I sit down, write my problem in the simplest possible language, list all the tricks I tried and asked for a solution. Then I'm reading my email to make sure everything is in order and voila - one last thing to try. and that step worked.
  - TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
    What does FAE mean in this context? Or do you mean ‘fae’ as in fairies? Edit: speeling
    - agustamir 6y ago
      field application engineer (usually a customer facing engineer from semiconductor companies)
      - TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
        Ah right, I see, thanks.
- daemoncoder 6y ago
  I've heard this concept called the cardboard colleague - you explain the problem to a cardboard cutout representing a colleague instead of an actual person. Of course it remains a concept, I don't think anyone would go so far as make one :-)
  - dorfsmay 6y ago
    aka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging
  - kwhitefoot 6y ago
    You can use an actual colleague. Many years ago when I was designing and programming embedded controllers (early '80s) I worked alongside, but not with, another engineer who was building devices using the same fundamental components (6520, PIA, etc.) In our tea breaks we would explain our problems to each other. Neither of us suggested any solutions to the other or responded with anything other than simple platitudes and sympathy for each other's troubles. It was remarkable how many problems had simply vanished by the end of the tea break.
- andrepd 6y ago
  >That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more productive than hours of debugging time is frankly mind boggling. I can't keep track how many times I has an idea that got me unstuck while peeing in the bathroom.
- kiba 6y ago
  They call it the Einstellung effect[1]. It's a recommended strategy to take time away from the problem to let your brain subconsciously work on the problem. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstellung_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstellung_effect
  - lowdose 6y ago
    How is this different from the Innovators Dilemma?
- sokoloff 6y ago
  The hours of debugging were still a critical part of the process. It “loosened the jar lid” so to speak. (It’s not like long-distance walkers are some of the best debuggers.) But once you’ve put in some substantial effort, taking a break and a walk (or a sleep) is often the critical last step.
dathanb82 6y ago
When asking for help solving a problem, I start writing a question to ask someone, and then as I start explaining what I've tried (to try to be respectful of their time and them not have to repeat anything I've done) more and more things to try occur to me. By the time I've tried all the things that occur to me while describing the problem, I've solved the problem. That's the way it works out more often than not.
- beefield 6y ago
  Exactly this. What is really weird, though, is that I have occasionally tried to promote this approach to people that ask my help, simply by asking them to write the request to me instead of calling. Also, getting the help request in written helps me to think the case and open issues in my own pace uninterrupted by discussion. The weird part? I have a strong feeling that more and more often (luckily not too often yet) my request seems to be considered outright hostile and it causes significant irritation. I wonder if anyone else has noted the same or am I just getting old and grumpy...
  - Takch 6y ago
    hab ich auch weilse sonst zu viel abgeben teilen ornen und wiedergutmachen müsseb denke ich. linke menschen muss man aufs Brot haben!
  - TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
    Yep. I’ve asked people to not give me dimensions for a work request over the phone because it leads to potential for transcription errors and mis-hearing... If you type it out and send it to me, or write it down and send a photo / scan, and it’s wrong... that’s your fault. And they seem genuinely put out by me not wanting to be responsible for a mistake.
    - bredren 6y ago
      If them being put out causes you trouble, may be best to take them, then send the follow up email requiring the confirmation. Humans need handling.
Pandabob 6y ago
This. I've gotten a new appreciation for Stackoverflow in the past year or so. Half of the drafts I write do not end up as published questions, just because the writing process itself is often helpful in figuring out what ever problem I have with my code.
- Takch 6y ago
  code?
- pinouchon 6y ago
  Sometimes I wonder how big a tragedy it is that many well-written questions are simply dismissed because the author found his solution in the process. I'm sure many of those questions are high quality and would get edits, upvotes and answers had the author just pressed the submit button.
  - lubonay 6y ago
    Actually it's acceptable to answer your own question, as long as it's a useful contribution, so it might be worth it to just post the question after all.
doctoboggan 6y ago
On more than one occasion I've started typing my question on stack overflow. I try to do my due diligence so I don't look like an idiot on the internet, and usually as I am anticipating responses I end up trying something that solves my problem.
- pinouchon 6y ago
  Stackoverflow is the best rubber duck because the anticipation of that fear is quite real. And I know that on many occasions I will end up submitting that question
hyperpallium 6y ago
42
ivalm 6y ago
I have this experience. If I am struggling with something and can’t find an answer on the web I will write down a stack overflow/cross validated/math question. More often than not simply formulating the question well will help resolve the problem. If I still can’t figure it out I post and come back in an hour. Again, even if no one answered rereading the question after making some space often helps answer the question to myself.
izzle49 6y ago
Yep I have been doing the same too, writting out and drawing out things to get it out of my head and onto paper seems to help quite a bit.
drcongo 6y ago
Yes! I've lost count of the number of times I've started a ticket on GitHub and through the process of typing it all out solved my own problem without ever submitting the ticket.
KrishMunot 6y ago
The universe has all the answers, what matters is the questions you ask

cjsawyer 6y ago

You can’t answer the question until it exits!

typicalbender 6y ago

It's amazing how much a technique like rubber ducking[1] helps to work through issues. The number of times I've felt like I have no idea how to solve a problem until the moment after I ask someone else is incredible. I think the act of thinking how to explain the problem to someone else really helps trigger the problem solving side of the brain. That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more productive than hours of debugging time is frankly mind boggling. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging

tripu 6y ago
Rubber duck debugging is extremely useful to unblock. I very rarely use an inanimate object, though — for me, the real help is the first or second (apparently very basic) question that the other person poses to me. That key question usually comes at what would seem the beginning of my explanation, but there lies the magic. Rubber ducks don't ask questions.
agustamir 6y ago
I was stuck debugging a chip for a day until I finally decided to write to the FAE. I sit down, write my problem in the simplest possible language, list all the tricks I tried and asked for a solution. Then I'm reading my email to make sure everything is in order and voila - one last thing to try. and that step worked.
- TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
  What does FAE mean in this context? Or do you mean ‘fae’ as in fairies? Edit: speeling
  - agustamir 6y ago
    field application engineer (usually a customer facing engineer from semiconductor companies)
    - TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
      Ah right, I see, thanks.
daemoncoder 6y ago
I've heard this concept called the cardboard colleague - you explain the problem to a cardboard cutout representing a colleague instead of an actual person. Of course it remains a concept, I don't think anyone would go so far as make one :-)
- dorfsmay 6y ago
  aka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging
- kwhitefoot 6y ago
  You can use an actual colleague. Many years ago when I was designing and programming embedded controllers (early '80s) I worked alongside, but not with, another engineer who was building devices using the same fundamental components (6520, PIA, etc.) In our tea breaks we would explain our problems to each other. Neither of us suggested any solutions to the other or responded with anything other than simple platitudes and sympathy for each other's troubles. It was remarkable how many problems had simply vanished by the end of the tea break.
andrepd 6y ago
>That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more productive than hours of debugging time is frankly mind boggling. I can't keep track how many times I has an idea that got me unstuck while peeing in the bathroom.
kiba 6y ago
They call it the Einstellung effect[1]. It's a recommended strategy to take time away from the problem to let your brain subconsciously work on the problem. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstellung_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstellung_effect
- lowdose 6y ago
  How is this different from the Innovators Dilemma?
sokoloff 6y ago
The hours of debugging were still a critical part of the process. It “loosened the jar lid” so to speak. (It’s not like long-distance walkers are some of the best debuggers.) But once you’ve put in some substantial effort, taking a break and a walk (or a sleep) is often the critical last step.

dathanb82 6y ago

When asking for help solving a problem, I start writing a question to ask someone, and then as I start explaining what I've tried (to try to be respectful of their time and them not have to repeat anything I've done) more and more things to try occur to me. By the time I've tried all the things that occur to me while describing the problem, I've solved the problem. That's the way it works out more often than not.

beefield 6y ago
Exactly this. What is really weird, though, is that I have occasionally tried to promote this approach to people that ask my help, simply by asking them to write the request to me instead of calling. Also, getting the help request in written helps me to think the case and open issues in my own pace uninterrupted by discussion. The weird part? I have a strong feeling that more and more often (luckily not too often yet) my request seems to be considered outright hostile and it causes significant irritation. I wonder if anyone else has noted the same or am I just getting old and grumpy...
- Takch 6y ago
  hab ich auch weilse sonst zu viel abgeben teilen ornen und wiedergutmachen müsseb denke ich. linke menschen muss man aufs Brot haben!
- TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
  Yep. I’ve asked people to not give me dimensions for a work request over the phone because it leads to potential for transcription errors and mis-hearing... If you type it out and send it to me, or write it down and send a photo / scan, and it’s wrong... that’s your fault. And they seem genuinely put out by me not wanting to be responsible for a mistake.
  - bredren 6y ago
    If them being put out causes you trouble, may be best to take them, then send the follow up email requiring the confirmation. Humans need handling.

Pandabob 6y ago

This. I've gotten a new appreciation for Stackoverflow in the past year or so. Half of the drafts I write do not end up as published questions, just because the writing process itself is often helpful in figuring out what ever problem I have with my code.

Takch 6y ago
code?
pinouchon 6y ago
Sometimes I wonder how big a tragedy it is that many well-written questions are simply dismissed because the author found his solution in the process. I'm sure many of those questions are high quality and would get edits, upvotes and answers had the author just pressed the submit button.
- lubonay 6y ago
  Actually it's acceptable to answer your own question, as long as it's a useful contribution, so it might be worth it to just post the question after all.

doctoboggan 6y ago

On more than one occasion I've started typing my question on stack overflow. I try to do my due diligence so I don't look like an idiot on the internet, and usually as I am anticipating responses I end up trying something that solves my problem.

pinouchon 6y ago
Stackoverflow is the best rubber duck because the anticipation of that fear is quite real. And I know that on many occasions I will end up submitting that question

hyperpallium 6y ago

ivalm 6y ago

I have this experience. If I am struggling with something and can’t find an answer on the web I will write down a stack overflow/cross validated/math question. More often than not simply formulating the question well will help resolve the problem. If I still can’t figure it out I post and come back in an hour. Again, even if no one answered rereading the question after making some space often helps answer the question to myself.

izzle49 6y ago

Yep I have been doing the same too, writting out and drawing out things to get it out of my head and onto paper seems to help quite a bit.

drcongo 6y ago

Yes! I've lost count of the number of times I've started a ticket on GitHub and through the process of typing it all out solved my own problem without ever submitting the ticket.

KrishMunot 6y ago

The universe has all the answers, what matters is the questions you ask