Problem Solving

29/06/24

blocked on a simple problem:

I was working with JavaScript completing challenges to help teach me a little of how it works. Each challenge along the way I bumped into a problem and hurdle that stopped me right in my tracks!

To Help myself overcome these problems I put into use some problem-solving techniques. Some I had used, some I tried for the first time. I looked to the discord channels of my course and see how my peers interacted with the task. When they didn't have the answers I turned to the all powerful all knowing 6 letter word...GOOGLE. Often I would find this would help me to at least try something along the lines of what I needed to do. Reading through my code thoroughly each time to make a habit of checking for spelling mistakes. I tried Pseudo coding a lot, to me this felt very natural and helped break down the problem. I like making lists for myself. This was like a task list I was able to complete and would help me focus in on what I was trying to achieve.

It's a new language. Learning is tough sometimes but I found the whole process rewarding. Gaining insight into how certain patterns work as well as seeing what I created work helped boost myself to feel good about what I was doing.

From all of this a learnt a little bit more about how JavaScript can be used. There is still lots to learn. The new tools at my disposal will hopefully be able to help me code more in-depth sites and create more than what I ever thought possible.

elegantly solved a problem.

Elegant? At a stretch. Throwing things at a wall to see what sticks? Definitely. I needed to create a function that referenced scores from people in a gradebook. The code had all be written I just need to write a little magic phrase to make all connect, doing a little bit of math along the way. Sounds easy right? I kept running into errors with a jumble of code that grew and grew and grew. This made it a bit ugly and hard to read and fix.

I started out by writing my list of things to do. My Pseudocode. Breaking down the problem I could see that I was doing more than I needed to and this was making my code and myself confused. Using a bit of google magic I managed to find out a better way to achieve what I needed. A short one line function with few extra bits I already had. Meant that instead of 10 lines of code. I had 2. A win and a slay.

I want to work on my person to person skills, communicating myself properly within this team and being active in listening with everyone.

I felt dumb to begin with, But after seeing the shorter version on google I began to understand I didn't full grasp the functions of JavaScript. There are lots and they are all so useful. After figuring it out I felt like I had learnt something and done better. I feel like I'm growing.

Taking the time to just step back look at the problem and try something to see if it works it is a useful way to go about life. Not being afraid to ask for help or get angry at your computer because at the end of the day it doesn't know any better.

Reflect on how confident you feel using each of these problem-solving techniques/processes:

techniques	thoughts
Pseudocode	8/10 This is a useful tool. A bit like the commit messages I would like to keep learning how to be professional with it. Great tool in the belt
Trying something	9/10 Love this method. Trial and error to me helps me learn the best. Helps me to understand what questions to ask about the problem.
Rubber ducky method	6/10 It is a useful way to verbal your code and workings. I didn't reach for it as much as the others but I do think it can be useful
Reading error messages	5/10 Sometimes I just fully didn't understand the error message. But it gave me a place to start looking to find the problem.
Console.logging	10/10 Console logging is great. It shows if something is working but hidden. It really helps to know if something works in console log that you are on the right path
Googling	9/10 Great a huge source of knowledge. It is just filtering through the knowledge that will help you!
Asking your peers for help	10/10 You can have a conversation and talk about the problem getting real time answers and working together to help one another is always fun!
Asking coaches for help	10/10 They are our powerful overlords with much knowledge of what is going on.
Improving your process with reflection	8/10 This is good, but with some work I will get better. Always nice to reflect.

Reflect on a time you were reluctant to ask for help. Consider what made you reluctant to do so. What might you try differently next time?

During sprint 3. I found myself getting angry and confused with the JavaScript function tasks we had been assigned. I wanted to ask for help but I saw other people where well past me and also asking questions with more knowledge behind them. I felt like my questions where A bit stupid and not worth it.

I think this is my self doubt takes over. I know how good it is to ask for help and that everyone just wants to help but I feel like a shutdown when I need to actually speak up. I think being in person will help me, But this is something I need to try and be better at. This coming week I will strive to ask a question a day or at least write out a question I have to be ready to ask them when the time comes.

Sam.