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Software Engineering & Personal Development
3 Tips To Solve Coding Problems Like an Expert
Ask the questions, do root cause analysis, and more
“How can I get better at solving problems? I understand JavaScript now, but I can’t really solve problems or understand any complicated JavaScript code,” asked me recently young developer on my contact list.
Problem-solving is a critical element of our careers because writing great code is a creative art, and to be a great developer, you need to be a creative problem solver.
“The biggest mistake I see new programmers make is focusing on learning syntax instead of learning how to solve problems.” — V. Anton Spraul
Sometimes we get afraid or uncomfortable when faced with a difficult challenge and wish it would go away. We may feel that we have to come up with an answer and get frustrated when we’re not sure how to find it.
Being confronted with a problem is an opportunity to improve ourselves, rather than a problem in itself. And although I see that this skill comes with time and practice, I’ve also a firm belief that we don’t need to wait for years to master it. I’ve worked with many junior developers who were better problems solver than their older fellows.
Luckily for us, there are plenty of methods available to solve whatever difficulties come at us. In this article, I’ll break down three techniques that help us untangle any complication like an expert. But before we start, let’s see the differences between how an expert and a novice tackle problems.
Expert Thinking vs. Novice Thinking
“Most people avoid problems or deal with them haphazardly. Great thinkers and leaders look for problems and have frameworks that help them solve problems better.” — Michael Simmons
In his article “Thought,” professor Robert J. Sternberg explained the secret — according to research by the American psychologists Herbert A. Simon, Robert Glaser, and Micheline Chi, among others — that makes experts more effective than novices in problem-solving endeavors.
