A software developer must possess the ability to challenge compound software problems and decipher them by coming up with relevant solutions. Much as you don’t have to master every syntax, framework or tool before getting the job, many senior developers usually seek help from Google to tackle the technical parts of their work. The approach to solving problems distinguishes a senior developer from a junior one.
Here are approaches to take when developing problem-solving solid skills as a developer.
Divide the problem into smaller parts.
Solving the whole problem can cause headaches and blunders down the road. Breaking the problem down into manageable pieces allows you to understand the situation better because you’re now dealing with the micro bits of the problem. This approach makes the problem-solving process more accessible, more efficient and effective. This approach also helps you fine-tune your code to prevent new bugs from surfacing. Once these micro problems have been solved, you can combine them to decipher the more complex issue.
Action Tip: Reduce the problem to the level where you know where to begin while solving the problem and write down the solution.
Understand the problem
You don’t understand if you cannot explain something in simple terms. Many complex problems are hard to solve because you do not understand them. To begin with, it is always good to first understand the problem before you start looking for ways of solving it. When trying to understand a problem, take some sample inputs and try to analyze the output. Taking these sample inputs helps you understand the situation better. If you can explain the problem in plain English to your friends, then you totally understand the problem. Or write down your version of the problem to see the loopholes you have in your understanding.
Action Tip: Try explaining the problem to one of your friends and see whether your friend’s understanding of your explanation matches the problem you’re facing.
Solve coding problems on several platforms
As you encounter several coding challenges, try to solve them using different platforms. Using various platforms to solve problems you’re working on helps you develop strong problem-solving skills. This prevents you from getting comfortable with one problem-solving technique or framework. When you frequently practice solving problems in different frameworks, you’re sure you won’t rely on the same technique to overcome every difficulty. This pushes you to learn to be flexible and choose the ideal tools for every job. Working on problems using different platforms expands your skillset and helps you gain experience that can translate into more intuitive thinking and rewarding results. Here are a few platforms you can use, LeetCode, Interview Cake, HackerEarth and more.
Action Tip: when you solve a particular problem from one framework, try also to solve the same problem from another language, use a different approach and see whether you get the same results.
Learn more about Design patterns, algorithms and data structures
If your problem-solving skills are not good enough, you usually get stuck when solving a problem. Strengthening your knowledge foundation might be a good idea by researching more about some coding topics such as data structures, algorithms or design patterns. Design patterns usually offer a template of how you can solve some recurring issues. As for algorithms, they are a set of steps that can solve problems and get work done when executed in the correct order. Most data structures and algorithms can perform specialized tasks; therefore, using them makes your code efficient and effective.
Action Tip: Carry out research on various topics in coding that can help you solve problems; topics such as data structures, algorithms, and design patterns can be of assistance.
Solve Problems in other contexts other than work
Since problem-solving is a skill that calls for practice, therefore, consider solving problems outside your line of work to assist you in further developing your skills. You can do this outside of work hours or in your free time. As you live your life daily, you can use many opportunities to practise your problem-solving skills. This includes accomplishing brain puzzles or games. You can start by fixing something broken in the house, solving a conflict between friends or family members, or solving problems outside your work helps boost your thinking and offers you different perspectives of the world.
Action Tip: Depending on your industry, find games, quizzes or puzzles related to your specific technical skills. As a developer, you can find maths games that test your ability to overcome problems. Some video games are of assistance.
Clearly define the problem.
It’s difficult to solve an uncertain problem you never took time to clearly define. Many tend to ignore this, but it is the most essential part of the problem-solving process. This is so because defining and writing down the problem helps you understand it well. There’s no perfect workspace, there are usually a variety of related problems that could be solved quickly, but because they’re not clearly defined, you have a hard time overcoming them. Defining problems eliminates the doubting thoughts from your mind, making it much easier to focus on the solution.
Action Tip: Outline what you know and have about the problem, revealing the information you’re still missing and research the information you’re missing. Write it down, identify details and state key terms.
Learn from past experience
As you practise solving problems in software development, you encounter emerging patterns in the problems you’re fixing. Create some kind of toolkit full of different solutions you discovered and used in the past. So when you face new challenges, you can apply one of those solutions to the unique problems. This is as essential as finding the solutions in the first place because the more you practice your problem-solving skills, the easier it becomes for you to apply the correct answers to different problems. This puts you in a position to solve new problems quickly while using the best possible solutions.
Action Tip: Have a record of all the problems you have solved and the solutions you used to fix these challenges. So when new issues surface, you can utilize some of your own solutions.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, here are some recommendations on how you can improve your problem-solving skills. Practice is one of the most ideal approaches to enhancing your problem-solving skills. You can do this by trying to fix current challenges or participating in coding contests. Try as much as possible to solve problems you think you can’t solve, but don’t be too confident and encounter the most complex challenges. Look for problems using algorithms and tags.
