Similar website that was posted a few months ago, for those interested: https://www.mentalmodelsbox.com/
I don't reckon it gets updated much, though.
Tools for Better Thinking
101–110 of 140 posts
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#102I've found that the most underrated problem solving tool is simply typing out my thought process. I used to be the type who asked a lot of questions until I realized that formulating the question was often more important than getting the answer.
The universe has all the answers, what matters is the questions you ask
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#103"An important aspect of learning about strategies is the conditional knowledge of when and why to use them appropriately" (Krathwohl et al.)
I wanted to compile a similar list of strategies myself, however I couldn't quite understand when to apply them. After some research, my view is that to understand when to apply these general thinking/problem-solving strategies, one needs to know the goal of the task and the cognitive processes involved i.e. it requires conditional knowledge which is part of metacognition.
Wonderful list though!
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#104TRIZ (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ) “theory of the resolution of invention-related tasks”. It was invented in Soviet Union. TRIZ is basically a toolset to analyse and solve engineering problems; it can help with “inventing“ tasks.
The system is well developed and quite sophisticated with a variety of techniques and approaches. I found this book to be a good introduction: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/TRIZ+for+Engineers%3A+Enabling+I...
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#105does anyone know a simple app that allows hyperlinking within notes? I want to create a roam-style knowledge base, but most tools are too heavy for my purposes. I prefer to keep things cross-compatible and future proof with .txt or .rtf, but to my knowledge, neither allow hyperlinking to documents
TiddlyWiki https://tiddlywiki.com/
Fair bit of warning: TiddlyWiki is the opposite of heavy, which means it's a bit shallow on the surface by allow custom data types/pages. I love this, makes you basically be able to build your own content systems on top of TiddlyWiki, but people expecting it's just "notes you can link together" might have to readjust their expectations.
Another great thing about TiddlyWiki is that the content can be stored in barebones files that you can read/parse outside of TiddlyWiki, and you can also run the frontend client offline with just a single index.html, if you want to. So fits what M5x7wI3CmbEem10 pretty nicely.
So thumbs up for TiddlyWiki but it can be a bit... Tiddly to fickle with sometimes.
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#106Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's amazing how much a technique like rubber ducking[1] helps to work through issues. The number of times I've felt like I have no idea how to solve a problem until the moment after I ask someone else is incredible. I think the act of thinking how to explain the problem to someone else really helps trigger the problem solving side of the brain. That and the number of times taking a 10 minute walk has been more produ…
I've heard this concept called the cardboard colleague - you explain the problem to a cardboard cutout representing a colleague instead of an actual person. Of course it remains a concept, I don't think anyone would go so far as make one :-)
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#107Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exactly this. What is really weird, though, is that I have occasionally tried to promote this approach to people that ask my help, simply by asking them to write the request to me instead of calling. Also, getting the help request in written helps me to think the case and open issues in my own pace uninterrupted by discussion. The weird part? I have a strong feeling that more and more often (luckily not too often yet…
That sounds like a tricky message to deliver: 1. It could easily come across as "my time is more important than yours". 2. Depending on what they are asking for and how urgently they are treating it, they might not want a lesson in solving their own problems. They just want help fixing the problem. 3. A lot of people are self-centred. Of course their problem should be your top priority and you should drop what you're…
This happens all the time. This might sound cynical but it's impossible to change the attitude of some people. Any tips to avoid them without being quoted as "not a team player".
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#108I've found that the most underrated problem solving tool is simply typing out my thought process. I used to be the type who asked a lot of questions until I realized that formulating the question was often more important than getting the answer.
On more than one occasion I've started typing my question on stack overflow. I try to do my due diligence so I don't look like an idiot on the internet, and usually as I am anticipating responses I end up trying something that solves my problem.
Stackoverflow is the best rubber duck because the anticipation of that fear is quite real. And I know that on many occasions I will end up submitting that question
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#109I've found that the most underrated problem solving tool is simply typing out my thought process. I used to be the type who asked a lot of questions until I realized that formulating the question was often more important than getting the answer.
This. I've gotten a new appreciation for Stackoverflow in the past year or so. Half of the drafts I write do not end up as published questions, just because the writing process itself is often helpful in figuring out what ever problem I have with my code.
Sometimes I wonder how big a tragedy it is that many well-written questions are simply dismissed because the author found his solution in the process. I'm sure many of those questions are high quality and would get edits, upvotes and answers had the author just pressed the submit button.
Re: Tools for Better Thinking
#110Earlier quoted context omitted.
When asking for help solving a problem, I start writing a question to ask someone, and then as I start explaining what I've tried (to try to be respectful of their time and them not have to repeat anything I've done) more and more things to try occur to me. By the time I've tried all the things that occur to me while describing the problem, I've solved the problem. That's the way it works out more often than not.
Exactly this. What is really weird, though, is that I have occasionally tried to promote this approach to people that ask my help, simply by asking them to write the request to me instead of calling. Also, getting the help request in written helps me to think the case and open issues in my own pace uninterrupted by discussion. The weird part? I have a strong feeling that more and more often (luckily not too often yet…
Maybe in some cases it is helpful (for both parties) if it is written down. However, in my experience, a conversation can often be very helpful as well - you can ask clarifying questions etc. It becomes more of a brainstorming together. Has helped me many times (on both sides of the conversation).