Struggling with a simple problem vs Elegantly solved problem
I was trying to solve a stretch coding exercise. The task was quite
complex, and I dove straight into writing functions to solve the
problem. After about an hour, I realized that I didn't know what I
was doing.
I was lost in the functions and feeling frustrated.
I took a deep breath, divided the problem into smaller chunks, and
then put them together. It worked!! I learned that before diving
into coding, it's better to plan and look at the problem from
different perspectives. Then, I can start coding.
The next day I was solving another coding exercise.
Learning from my previous mistake, I made pseudocode before actually
writing the code. Even though I did all the preparatory work and
wrote the code, which I was confident was correct, it didn't work.
However, I didn't panic; instead, I opened the console and checked
the error message. I found that there was only a small typo in my
code! After fixing it, the code ran successfully. I felt proud that
I managed to solve this task so well. I learned that I should trust
the techniques and advice that DevAcademy gives me.
Reflecting problem solving techniques
| Technique/Process | Confidence Level | Reflection |
|---|---|---|
| Pseudocode | Moderate | I used it in several exercises, and it helps but I still need more practice. |
| Rubber Ducky Method | Moderate | I'm not sure if it's the exact rubber ducky method but always when I am explaining the problem to my friend I realise where the issue is and then I can crack it. |
| Reading Error Message | Moderate | Error messages are friends! |
| Console.logging | Moderate/High | I find console.log very useful and I use it everywhere. |
| Googling | High | Googling is an essential skill. I like the fact that most of the things I Google have been already asked before me(Stack Overflow). |
| Asking my peers for help | Moderate | I understand that collaboration is beneficial, and I should be more open to seeking my peers' insights. |
| Asking coaches for help | Moderate | Similar to asking peers. |
| Trying Something | High | I can try possible and impossible ways to solve a problem. However, I need to learn to try different problem-solving techniques, as this usually takes me a lot of time. |
| Improving Process with Reflection | Moderate | Sometimes, I put a lot of pressure on myself when coding, and I forget to consider techniques like reflection. However, over the past few days, I have started to incorporate this technique, and it has indeed proven to be beneficial. |
Asking for help - reflection
So far I didn't want to ask for help because I wanted to show I could solve problems by myself. But, it made things harder, and the problem took a long time to fix. Next time, I'll try to think differently. I'll understand that asking for help is okay and can help me learn better.