The hottest Problem Solving Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Education Topics

Making Your Own Examples Is One of the Most Powerful Math Skills

Kids Who Love Math • 587 implied HN points • 06 Feb 26
🚌 Education Problem Solving
  1. Have kids make their own example problems so they move from copying steps to creating and testing ideas; this builds ownership and a deeper grasp of the technique.
  2. Use a ladder of problem-posing—from copying examples to designing constraint-driven or error-catching problems—to guide growth so questions get harder as understanding grows.
  3. Asking kids to invent problems fights boredom, helps them probe when a technique works or fails, and builds the mathematical maturity to explore abstract ideas on their own.

The one framework every engineer should know

High Growth Engineer • 3744 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. The MECE principle helps you organize your thoughts clearly. It stands for Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive, which means breaking down problems without overlap while covering all possibilities.
  2. Using MECE in interviews shows your problem-solving skills. Instead of jumping straight to the answer, outline different approaches and explain your reasoning to demonstrate structured thinking.
  3. Applying MECE during team communication helps keep everyone on the same page. Whether it's giving updates during an investigation or explaining a process, a clear structure makes it easier for others to understand.

How to Get Better At Learning From Experience

Range Widely • 1336 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🚌 Education Problem Solving
  1. Success is not always a good teacher, especially in unpredictable and impactful scenarios like earthquakes
  2. Differentiate between 'kind' and 'wicked' learning environments, where experience can either improve judgment or give false confidence
  3. Reflecting on and analyzing experiences can lead to better learning outcomes than relying solely on intuition or repetitive actions

When Overwhelmed, Make a List of Questions

Push to Prod • 39 implied HN points • 05 Aug 24
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. When you feel overwhelmed, writing down your questions can help clarify your thoughts. It's a simple way to break down a complex problem.
  2. Answering even one question can give you more confidence and direction, leading to better decision-making. It’s a helpful way to gather information and make progress.
  3. This technique isn't just for work; it can be useful in everyday situations too, like before meetings with accountants or lawyers. Taking the time to write questions helps you feel more prepared.
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The Sliding Window Technique[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 279 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. The sliding window technique is a powerful algorithmic model used for problem-solving in coding interviews and software engineering, offering efficiency and practicality.
  2. Benefits of using the sliding window technique include reducing duplicate work, maintaining consistent linear time complexity, and its utility in AI feature extraction processes.
  3. Spotting the sliding window technique involves identifying keywords like maximum, minimum, longest, or shortest, dealing with continuous elements, and converting brute-force approaches into efficient solutions.

What makes a software engineer effective?

Elevate • 477 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Effectiveness in software engineering is about focusing on what matters most and delivering value to users, the business, and career with the available time.
  2. Traits that help software engineers be effective include caring about user needs, being a good problem solver, and keeping things simple while prioritizing quality.
  3. To excel as an exceptional software engineer, embrace change, balance technical debt and innovation, and emphasize continuous learning and teamwork.

Looking for problems instead of solutions

Sunday Letters • 99 implied HN points • 27 May 24
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. It's important to focus on solutions rather than just identifying problems. Always looking for issues can slow down progress and creativity.
  2. Effective people know when to take action, even if they don't have all the details. It's okay to jump into something and learn as you go.
  3. When you have concerns, think about whether they are relevant now or just distractions. Finding solutions should be your priority to keep moving forward.

The Two Mystery Theory

husseini • 550 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
📖 Philosophy Problem Solving
  1. Sometimes what you think is a problem may actually be the solution you're looking for.
  2. Don't overlook unexpected sources for solutions to your problems.
  3. Be open to finding what you seek in unexpected ways.

Rethinking Problem-Solving: From Space Pens to Pencils and Beyond

Wisdom over Waves • 79 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Focus on the problem first: Understand the core issue before jumping into solutions. This can lead to more innovative and effective outcomes.
  2. Avoid getting lost in the technical details: Developers should balance focusing on implementation with considering broader business needs and goals.
  3. Collaborate and empathize: Work closely with other teams, seek feedback, and put yourself in the shoes of the end user to improve problem-solving and innovation.

TBM 270: Important Reader PSA

The Beautiful Mess • 1295 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. Be cautious discussing heavier topics from newsletters with coworkers to avoid backfire.
  2. Focus on sharing non-threatening, useful ideas at work to align and engage others.
  3. Consider the Trojan Horse approach by introducing valuable, safe-to-fail ideas for deeper discussions.

How To Fix Math(s) Education

Insight Axis • 276 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🚌 Education Problem Solving
  1. Math education should focus on real-world problems to make it interesting and meaningful for students.
  2. Students should be taught a structured process of defining, abstracting, computing, and interpreting problems in math.
  3. School math should prioritize applied mathematics to show the practical utility of math, cater to the majority, and prepare students for the future.

Inventions I Like To See

David Friedman’s Substack • 125 implied HN points • 23 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Ziplock bags with built-in reseals help keep flatbreads fresh after opening. It's a smart design that solves a common problem.
  2. Shower designs that allow users to adjust water temperature safely make for a more comfortable experience. Simple solutions like combined tub and shower setups are very effective.
  3. New kitchen gadgets, like edgeless can openers and color-changing plastic eggs, show how inventiveness can improve everyday tasks. They add convenience and safety while cooking.

Don't build for yourself

Sam’s Newsletter • 98 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. Don't just build for yourself, it's a common startup advice but may not always be the best approach.
  2. Building something people want and finding them is crucial for success.
  3. Consider finding your customers first, then building something they need, and your passion may follow.

One for the Snowflakes

The Weasel Speaks • 98 implied HN points • 03 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Understand the problem thoroughly by considering at least three alternative solutions.
  2. Don't assume your problem is unique; seek out existing solutions and collaborate with others.
  3. Break down silos within organizations by encouraging communication and collaboration across teams for better learning and innovation.

TBM 229: Winnable and Unwinnable Games (Part 3)

The Beautiful Mess • 1110 implied HN points • 07 Jul 23
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. Hierarchy creates a chain of communication in which information gets oversimplified as it moves up, leading to an unwinnable game
  2. Passing information up the chain results in details being shaped and possibly distorted based on audience and perceived urgency
  3. The ideal conditions for a 'good game' are challenged in scenarios where goals become unclear, feedback loops are long, and motivations are dwindled

Why Learning to Code Is Life Changing

Brain Bytes • 79 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Learning to code fosters creativity and innovation by enabling you to bring ideas to life and design solutions that make a real difference in the world.
  2. Coding encourages lifelong learning by constantly challenging you to adapt to new technologies and expand your skill set, which enhances creativity and personal growth.
  3. Learning to code opens up various career opportunities by providing a valuable skill set that can improve business value and impact millions of individuals worldwide.

Trapped Among the Root Causes

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 610 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🎭️ Culture Problem Solving
  1. Looking for root causes can be attractive, but sometimes it's better to focus on finding and implementing imperfect, temporary solutions instead of getting lost in the complexity of the 'true cause' of a problem.
  2. In complex systems like the environment or human societies, the idea of a single 'root cause' can be elusive, and efforts to dig deep might lead to unintended consequences due to interconnected issues.
  3. Patching things can be a practical approach, especially in evolving systems like nature and societies. Embracing the continuous cycle of problem-solving and expecting new challenges and solutions may be more sustainable than aiming for one perfect fix.

TBM 210: Just...

The Beautiful Mess • 1097 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. Beware of falling into the "just-ing" trap when facing complex problems - don't rush to simplistic solutions.
  2. Embrace the complexity of a problem before taking action - explore, capture, and then shift to gradual action.
  3. Create an environment that encourages exploring messy situations, making experiments safe, and learning from actions taken.

Pershan's Pyramid of Teaching Greatness

Pershmail • 137 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🚌 Education Problem Solving
  1. Teaching involves guiding students from specifics to generalizations to new applications.
  2. Generalization is key in the learning process, helping students connect knowledge to new situations.
  3. Articulating principles can assist students in making generalizations and promote independent thinking.

Taking it step by step

Prompt Engineering • 137 implied HN points • 02 May 23
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. ChatGPT works based on next-word prediction and lacks understanding of the world or concepts.
  2. When asking ChatGPT questions, answers are based on common sequences encountered before.
  3. To improve accuracy, break down problems into simple steps when prompting ChatGPT.

Standing Up Meaningful Understandings

CTOrly • 59 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Problem Solving
  1. Understanding one critical thing can be more important than knowing everything else around it
  2. Meta-understanding is crucial - knowing what needs to be understood in a situation
  3. Identifying what you value and the problems you're solving helps determine what needs to be well understood

People Without Dirty Hands are Wrong

Sung’s Substack • 79 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Having dirty hands from diving into actual projects is important for growth, rather than just focusing on certifications or theory.
  2. Solving real problems in public and getting your hands dirty in open source can have a significant impact on your career, surpassing the importance of certifications.
  3. Engaging in hands-on experience and collaborating on projects that matter can lead to valuable personal growth and career advancement.

Leverage Points for solving complex problems

Turnaround • 277 implied HN points • 01 Aug 22
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. Complex problems require moving away from linear thinking and embracing complexity thinking that involves understanding interconnections and dependencies.
  2. Leverage points in a system are areas where small changes can cause significant overall impact. These include adjusting parameters, dealing with stock buffers, considering system structures, managing feedback loops, controlling information flows, setting incentives and rules, enabling self-organization, and aligning with system goals and paradigms.
  3. Differentiating between complicated and complex systems is crucial in problem-solving. In complex interconnected systems, problem statements often fall into categories such as coupled, causal, or standalone.

How to find industry problem as young founder

Recontact • 39 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
💼 Business Problem Solving
  1. Start by finding a common interest field, building hypotheses around it, and validating them. It helps provide direction in problem-solving.
  2. When searching for industry problems, focus on non-core issues that companies face. This approach can lead to valuable insights and potential solutions.
  3. Conduct interviews with a variety of people in the industry, from executives to lower-level employees, to gather a diverse set of perspectives and understand the depth of the problem. It can help in identifying the right problem to tackle.

Modernity != Value

Sarah's Newsletter • 299 implied HN points • 19 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Problem Solving
  1. Having modern tools doesn't guarantee providing value - it's more about how analytics teams use the tools to drive organizational change.
  2. The focus should be on delivering value to the organization rather than just building data platforms or using the most modern tools.
  3. Start simple with the minimum viable data stack and only add complexity when necessary - focus on solving real problems and evaluating tools based on problem-solving, maintenance, and scalability.

Getting Unstuck: How Psychedelics Can Help Navigate Mental Blocks 🧠

Tripsitter • 79 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Problem Solving
  1. Psychedelics can help unlock creativity and uncover solutions to complex problems by increasing randomness in the brain.
  2. Psychedelics don't make us smarter or increase IQ, but they can aid in viewing problems from different perspectives.
  3. Randomness induced by psychedelics can lead to novel ideas and breakthrough moments that help in overcoming mental blocks.