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This is also known as the XY-problem [1]. People want a solution to X, and they think Y is the way to solve it. But they’re having trouble doing Y and so they a
by chongli 6y ago
This is also known as the XY-problem [1]. People want a solution to X, and they think Y is the way to solve it. But they’re having trouble doing Y and so they ask for help with Y.
The problem is that Y is not the best way to solve X and you’re confused about why they’d ever want to do Y. Life would be much easier if they had just asked for help solving X.
[1] https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/66378 https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/66378
- detaro 6y agoIs there a name for the reverse, when Stack Overflow assumes you don't understand your constraints and propose all possible solutions to what they think is X that aren't a solution to Y?
- chongli 6y agoI don't know about the specific case of the reverse of the XY-problem, but in general I'd say it fits within the law of unintended consequences [1], the cobra effect [2], and as a sort of qualitative (as opposed to quantitative) version of Campbell's law [3]. Very interesting stuff! [1] https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/540/handouts/french/unintconseq.html https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/540/handouts/french/unin... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_effect [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell%27s_law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell%27s_law
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- klavinski 6y agoIt has been called the YX problem a few times on HN. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23599250 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23599250 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22842747 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22842747