I’ve heard this cited by a couple ctos I’ve worked for. It’s a popular metaphor in the engineering department. I think it’s articulating an important message, but in an ineffective way. The name “XY Problem” is too vague and easy to forget. I prefer simpler messages like: - What’s the root cause of the problem? - Is this a solution looking for a problem? As software engineers, part of our job is naming things well an…
You're right the "XY problem" is vague. But that's exactly why engineers cling to it. The concept cloaks a messy, human interaction in the guise of math & logic. It enables an answerer to dissect their questioner without bearing the cost of the questioners feelings. It inverts the power dynamic, basically. That duplicity makes "XY" useless as an analytic tool to improve inquiries. But as a political cudgel to stop in…
Re: The XY Problem (2014)
#111Well said! Cloaking a messy human interaction in the guise of math and logic is an effective way to communicate with engineers. Never thought of it that way.