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The XY phenomenon: how to avoid the "wrong" problems

Have you ever thought about how many hours, months and even lives have been wasted on solving the β€œwrong” problems?

The XY phenomenon: how to avoid the "wrong" problems

One day, some people began to complain that they had to wait an unbearably long time for the elevator. Other people were concerned about these slanders and spent a lot of time, effort and money to improve the performance of elevators and reduce waiting times. But the original problem was quite different - "people started to complain."

The solution to the real problem was the installation of large mirrors in the lobby of the same building. Watching your own reflection while waiting for the elevator proved to be quite an exciting experience, and the number of complaints about the slow operation of the elevators has dropped dramatically.

XY Problem Phenomenon

In 2001, American developer Eric Steven Raymond gave this phenomenon the name "XY problem".

The XY problem often arises between the end user and the developer, the client and the contractor, but simply between the person and the person.

In simple terms, the XY problem is when we start to repair / help in the wrong place, we go in from the wrong end. This results in a waste of time and energy, both on the part of the people seeking help and on the part of those who provide help.

How to get into the XY problem. Step by step user manual

  1. The user needs to solve problem X.
  2. The user does not know how to solve problem X, but thinks that he can solve it if he succeeds in performing action Y.
  3. The user also does not know how to perform the Y action.
  4. Asking for help, the user asks for help to deal with Y.
  5. Everyone is trying to help the user with the Y action, even though Y seems like a strange problem to solve.
  6. After many iterations and lost time, it turns out that the user actually wanted to solve the X problem.
  7. Worst of all, performing Y would not be a suitable solution for X. Everyone is tearing their hair out and with the words β€œI gave you the best years of my life” they glare at each other.

Often, the XY problem occurs when people get hung up on the small details of their problem and what they themselves see as the solution to the problem. As a result, they cannot take a step back and explain the problem in a complex way.

In Russia, this is called the "Hammer Error"

Iteration #1.
The XY phenomenon: how to avoid the "wrong" problems
Iteration #100500.The XY phenomenon: how to avoid the "wrong" problems

Photo credits: Nikolay Volynkin, Alexander Barakin (license: hammer error, CC BY).

How to understand what smelled like an XY problem

Experience, skill and folk signs will help here, by which you can calculate that an XY problem is approaching you.

Pay attention to what and how people say. As a rule, speech about β€œwrong” problems begins with such phrases:

  • Do you think we can do...
  • Will it be hard to do...
  • How long will it take to…
  • We need help creating...

All of these phrases are actually asking a question about a solution (Y), not a problem (X). You need to keep your ears up and keep a close eye on the thread of the conversation to determine if the problem can actually be solved with Y. You will likely have to go back and forth through the conversation several times to figure out X's true problem.

Don't feel sorry for the time you spend going around in circles, because in the end it can save you from creating an unnecessary feature or even a product.

How not to get yourself into trouble and help others

  1. Formulate your problem in the format "Object - Deviation". Bad example: URGENT! EVERYTHING IS BROKEN AND DOES NOT WORK LIKE THIS. A good example: XFree86 4.1 mouse cursor on Fooware MV1005 chipset is malformed.
  2. Try to fit the essence of the problem in the first 50 characters if you are writing a message; in the first two sentences if you are voicing the problem verbally. Your time and the time of the interlocutor is precious, use it wisely.
  3. Next, add context and describe the bigger picture, how you got into this situation in the first place, how big the tragedy is.
  4. If you have come up with a solution, tell us a little about why you think it will help.
  5. If you were asked a lot of clarifying questions in response - rejoice and answer, it will do you good and help you find the right solution for you.
  6. Describe the symptoms of the problem in chronological order. XY-problems - this is the case when the change in the places of the terms matters.
  7. Describe everything you have already done to solve the problem. Don't forget to explain why a particular course of action didn't work. This will give others more information about your problem and reduce the time it takes to find a solution.

Instead of conclusions

As soon as I learned about the phenomenon of XY problems, I realized that we are surrounded by them from head to toe, every day, in work and personal situations. The mere knowledge of the existence of a phenomenon has become a life hack for me, which I am now learning to use.

For example, a colleague recently approached me to tell me the bad news: he refuses to participate in a joint project because there are more priority tasks. We talked and found out that in fact everything rested on the problem of too short terms, which we designated for ourselves. My colleague realized that it did not fit (X) and found a solution - to leave the project (Y). It's good that we chatted. Now we have new deadlines, and no one goes anywhere.

Only registered users can participate in the survey. Sign in, you are welcome.

Do you often encounter XY problems?

  • Yes, constantly.

  • No, probably.

  • Hmm, so that's the name of this bullshit.

185 users voted. 21 user abstained.

Source: habr.com

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