What is Mystery?
Something that is complex or impractical to figure out or demonstrate.
Whenever we start working out a problem for the first time, for us it looks like Mystery.
When we seek to figure out the trouble, in a process when it is taking more time, team members started exploring various Heuristic to deal with the problem faster.
Recently I have encountered the same situation in one of our assignments. The assignment was complex and we were trying it for the first time in the context where we are working. Most of our team members applied Heuristics to deal with the issue.
I glanced into all the heuristic which we have applied to come up with the solution.
The quick fix is no more mystery for us but there is a working solution available with many issues which we will clear up rapidly.
What is Heuristic?
A heuristic is a technique, is a approach to problem-solving, learning, or discovery that utilizes a workable way not guaranteed to be excellent or appropriate, but acceptable for the immediate objectives.
Heuristics are susceptible to bias and introducing errors.
Just because something has worked in the past does not mean that it will work further, and relying on an existing heuristic can drive it challenging to identify alternative solutions or come up with different solutions.
Examples of heuristics include using:
- A rule of thumb
- An educated guess
- An intuitive judgment
- Stereotyping
- Profiling
- Common sense
The most fundamental heuristic is trial and error, which can be employed in everything from matching nuts and bolts to identifying the values of variables in algebra problems. In mathematics, some common heuristics involve the adoption of visual images, additional assumptions, forward/backward reasoning, and simplification.
Here are a few commonly used heuristics from George Pólya’s 1945 book, How to Solve It:[6]
If you are having difficulty understanding a problem, try drawing a picture.
- If you can’t find a solution, try assuming that you have a solution and seeing what you can derive from that (“working backward”).
- If the problem is abstract, try examining a concrete example.
- Try solving a more general problem first (the “inventor’s paradox”: the more ambitious plan may have more chances of success).
Most of these we have applied in our assignment to come out with the solution. It looks like common sense but helped us a lot to quickly come out with the solution.
Some more Heuristic which helped us
Similarity Heuristic:
The Similarity heuristic is a flexible strategy. The objective of the similarity heuristic is maximizing productivity through appropriate experience while not repeating unfavorable experiences. Decisions based on how useful or objectionable the present seems are based on how similar the past was to the present situation.
The availability Heuristic:
Involves making judgments based on how comfortable it is to create something to mind. When we are working to carry out a judgment, we might quickly recall a number of significant examples. Since these are more easily accessible in our mind, we will likely consider these results as being more familiar or frequently-existing.
Cognitive Heuristic:
This involves searching through the possible options until an acceptability threshold is reached.Was introduced by Herbert A. Simon.
Simon used satisficing to describe the behavior of decision-makers under circumstances in which an optimal solution cannot be established. In decision making, satisficing refers to the use of aspiration levels when choosing from different paths of action. By this account, decision-makers select the first option that meets a given need or select the option that seems to address most needs rather than the “optimal” solution.
Fluency heuristic:
In psychology, a fluency heuristic is a mental heuristic in which, if one item is dealt with more fluently, faster, or more smoothly than another, the mind interprets that this item has a greater value with respect to the question being considered.In other words, the more effectively or elegantly a concept is communicated, the more likely it is to be treated seriously, whether or not it is logical.
Affect Heuristic:
The affect heuristic involves making judgments that are greatly aroused by the emotions that an individual is experiencing at that moment.
Where finding an optimal solution is impossible or impractical, heuristic methods can be used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution.
