The Approach to Solving Problems

The Approach to Solving Problems

I don’t think we can properly discuss what is more important; quality data or a great algorithm since they are clearly connected, and we might go round in circles trying to decide this outcome.

Let’s first review the flow of this operation of solving a problem.  The first step is to identify the problem, once that has been established, it’s time to figure out what information we need to solve the problem. Once that is established then we need to figure out the data needed to produce this information. This process is in-line we the type of thinking process, first we start with a high-level thought process and then dive into the deeper layers of thinking. Data is at the higher levels of processing since it isn’t into action yet, the algorithm is part of lower level thinking since it will deal with the actual processing details of producing the information needed.

We know about garbage-in-garbage-out law, so of course we strive for the best quality and accurate data, this is the heart of the quality of the final results. Once this has been established, it is time to dive deeper into the process and it’s time to process the data. This is where the algorithm will come into play, and this is a vital step to the success of this project.

The reason it is difficult to discuss what is the priority in solving a problem, is because we can have the best quality data but a poor process to work it and it will produce poor information or similar, while we can have poor data and a great process algorithm but still produce poor information.

Conclusion

Being that quality data and a quality algorithm are both part of the same process, which is to produce information, I don’t think one is more important than the other, they are both vital to the success and excellence of solving a problem.