3 ms·

Is Critical Thinking the Most Important Skill for Software Engineers?

2 points by fagnerbrack 3y ago

senttoschool 3y ago
Assuming that the software engineer is sufficiently competent in coding, the most important skill for a software engineer is the ability to work together in a team. There's nothing more destructive than an engineer who drains the team's energy and motivation because he/she can't work well with others.
Shizu 3y ago
To me "critical thinking" and being able to think out of the box are some of the key differences between a software developer and a software engineer. A software developer just develops according to what he was told. A software engineer has to figure out stuff for himself. I have many colleagues who can't really think for themselves. Once they hit an obstacle, they are stuck and can't come up with workarounds. Software engineers are rarer and able to do exactly that.
dangitnotagain 3y ago
Problem solving to completion is the most important skill for software engineers. Critical thinking is an advanced yet not necessarily most reliable problem solving technique. Critical thinking is most closely associated with deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning involves breaking problems down to their significant elements, developing functional relationships, and recomposing a whole form which provides a successful solution. Alternatively, choosing the appropriate solutions for known problems (inductive/inferential) may be successful. This would involve properly identifying problem domains, relating behavioral patterns, and composing steps for a successful functional solution. This might be regarded as implementing design patterns. All that other stuff (teamwork, works under pressure, troubleshooting, comprehensive knowledge of domain, etc.) are variable skills which diversify the field. It may be worth repeating out loud the superior critical thinkers are not the most consistently reliable. Those who are persistent are!

3 ms·

Is Critical Thinking the Most Important Skill for Software Engineers?

2 points by fagnerbrack 3y ago

senttoschool 3y ago
Assuming that the software engineer is sufficiently competent in coding, the most important skill for a software engineer is the ability to work together in a team. There's nothing more destructive than an engineer who drains the team's energy and motivation because he/she can't work well with others.
Shizu 3y ago
To me "critical thinking" and being able to think out of the box are some of the key differences between a software developer and a software engineer. A software developer just develops according to what he was told. A software engineer has to figure out stuff for himself. I have many colleagues who can't really think for themselves. Once they hit an obstacle, they are stuck and can't come up with workarounds. Software engineers are rarer and able to do exactly that.
dangitnotagain 3y ago
Problem solving to completion is the most important skill for software engineers. Critical thinking is an advanced yet not necessarily most reliable problem solving technique. Critical thinking is most closely associated with deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning involves breaking problems down to their significant elements, developing functional relationships, and recomposing a whole form which provides a successful solution. Alternatively, choosing the appropriate solutions for known problems (inductive/inferential) may be successful. This would involve properly identifying problem domains, relating behavioral patterns, and composing steps for a successful functional solution. This might be regarded as implementing design patterns. All that other stuff (teamwork, works under pressure, troubleshooting, comprehensive knowledge of domain, etc.) are variable skills which diversify the field. It may be worth repeating out loud the superior critical thinkers are not the most consistently reliable. Those who are persistent are!