art of problem solving software engineer

Art of Problem Solving

• Software Engineer

Art of Problem Solving Software Engineer Salaries

The average Software Engineer total compensation in United States at Art of Problem Solving ranges from $82K to $120K per year. View the base salary, stock, and bonus breakdowns for Art of Problem Solving's total compensation packages. Last updated: 5/17/2024

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Problem-Solving Skills for Software Developers: Why & How to Improve

Problem-solving skills go hand-in-hand with software development. Learn some great problem-solving techniques and tips for improvement here!

Software developer jobs today require that you possess excellent problem-solving skills , and for good reason. Unfortunately, there seems to be a sort of talent gap when it comes to this one skill required of all software developers.

Troubleshooting and problem resolution are both informally and formally taught, but you mostly find that software developers have to learn problem-solving skills on their own. This is true for self-taught developers , obviously, but also even for those with software engineering degrees or who’ve graduated from coding boot camps.

This is why it’s necessary to acquaint yourself with the problem-solving process, whether you are a newbie or an experienced developer. In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about problem-solving so you can 10x your software development career.

What are Problem-Solving Skills?

As a developer, what do we mean by problem-solving? Let’s attempt a simple definition.

In software development, problem-solving is the process of using theories and research to find solutions to a problem domain, while testing different ideas and applying best practices to achieve a desired result. Problem-solving also has to do with utilizing creativity and logical thought processes to identify problems and resolve them with software.

Becoming a great software developer hinges more on learning algorithms than programming languages or frameworks . And algorithms are simply step-by-step instructions to solve a given problem.

Read More : How to Build a Software Engineer Portfolio (With Examples & Tips)

Why are impeccable problem-solving skills crucial?

Making good use of a computer language can be likened to being a skilled writer. An effective writer must know how to construct sentences and use grammar appropriately. There’s more to writing than just knowing all the words in the dictionary, and that’s how it works for developers, too.

You have different tasks to work on as a software developer, including perhaps designing, coding, and troubleshooting. Much of your time will be spent on identifying problems, spotting and correcting bugs, and making sense of codebases from before you started working there. Being ingenious at problem-solving is essential in creating incredible solutions to issues that arise throughout software development.

To demonstrate ingenuity, let’s consider Google’s autocomplete tool as an example.

The autocomplete tool is built to suggest related terms in the search bar as you type. The idea behind the tool is to reduce more than 200 years of time spent typing daily and to help users save time by up to 25% while typing.

Here’s what had to be done:

• To activate real-time completion of suggestions, the UI experience and JavaScript had to be implemented.
• Next, since users could type just about anything, the autocomplete suggestions had to be compiled into a sensible list dependent on user input.
• Then, Google had to create a back-end sustainability system for this function. Doing this meant massively increasing its infrastructure to accommodate all forms of data query and HTTP requests.
• Finally, the user interface had to be refined by software engineers in order to make sure that every user enjoyed a worthwhile experience. So they employed Google Trends to power the auto-completion tool while using algorithms to take out explicit or offensive predictions in line with Google’s auto-completion policy.

This is just one of Google’s innumerable problem-solving examples, but it’s clear to see that solving problems involves more than just telling a computer to do stuff. It’s about your ability to come up with parameters rightly tailored to target users so they can meet their goals.

So why must developers focus on problem-solving at work?

Software developers work with a wide range of people and departments, and it’s common to discover that some clients and teams find it difficult to define what they want. As a problem solver, it’s up to you to help them identify their needs and communicate their thoughts in an effective way.

Of course, you’ll need time and practice to develop your problem resolution ability. That’s because it’s less about solving problems faster but more about coming up with the best solution . And then you’ll need to deploy that solution.

Read More : Common Interview Questions for Software Developer Jobs (Non-Technical)

Types of problem-solving skills

Now let’s talk about four types of problem-solving skills for developers:

1.  Parallel thinking

As a software developer, parallel thinking is a crucial skill necessary to perform optimally. This makes it possible for you to carry out two tasks that complement each other at the same time (like an optimized form of multitasking skills). Being able to reorder tasks to boost parallel execution can help to improve your output and save valuable time .

2. Dissecting broad and/or complex goals

When it comes to building software, you will need to effectively outline the steps and tasks necessary to achieve your goal. Developers must learn to break large and complex tasks into smaller assignments because this is an important skill that will help you create results with precision.

3. Reimplementing existing solutions

You don’t always need to reinvent the wheel. Part of being an effective software developer comes with being able to use already existing tools before even thinking of creating new solutions. Developing problem-solving skills is very much connected to finding solutions that already exist and reusing them.

4. Abstraction

Keep in mind that goals tend to evolve. So if your client comes up with new ideas, that will mean changing your design goals and reordering your tasks. A good programmer must learn to create solutions in such a way that does not require a complete redesign from scratch.

You also have to become adept at abstracting problems so that your solutions can get them resolved so long as they aren’t entirely different from the original issue. You don’t necessarily have to abstract every aspect to avoid more complications being created. This calls for balance by abstracting only where necessary without making narrow decisions.

Read More : Learn 8 Great Benefits of Working From Home

4 Important Tips & Strategies for Improving Problem-Solving Skills

To keep your problem-solving skills and techniques from growing weaker over time, you need to exercise them non-stop. As they say: practice makes perfect!

To train the problem-solving side of your brain, these four tips and strategies can help you improve your abilities:

1. Make problem-solving a part of your life

Never restrict yourself to working on problems only during work hours. Don’t make it a chore, but, instead, do things that make problem-solving look fun. The game of chess, solving puzzles, and playing video games that compel you to think critically will help strengthen your problem-solving skills, and you can tell your significant other you are advancing your career! 🙂

When you come to a complex problem in your life, whether it’s budgeting for a home or renovating the downstairs bathroom, approach it both creatively and critically. Ask yourself: What would a great software engineer do in this situation?

2. Use different platforms to solve problems

Proffer solutions to a set of problems without restricting yourself to one platform. Using different platforms and tools regularly helps make sure you become flexible as a problem-solver. And it makes sense, because there really is no universal solution for the different problems that pop up in your line of work. Trying out different platforms to solve different problems helps you to keep an open mind and enables you to test out different techniques when looking to find solutions.

Read More : 12 Common Mistakes Keeping You From Landing Your First Developer Job

3. Be open to assistance from external sources

Part of being a good software developer comes with being able to ask for help and also accept all forms of feedback. You might need a different opinion or a new set of eyes to help find the most fitting solution to some problems. It makes sense to view building problem-solving skills as more of a team effort rather than a personal journey.

Have an open mind and heart to function not only as an individual but also as a collective. It’s a utopian working environment where everyone supports each other to become better versions of themselves. So if you come across an issue that keeps you stuck, get help! You may find someone who has a more refined framework or method you never knew existed or would have thought of using. You could then learn from them and add their solution to your toolkit.

Get feedback often, as well. This could be the catalyst to making improvements to your processes and evolving them into something truly refined.

4. Tackle new problems using lessons from past solutions

As you practice and finesse your ability to identify problems and find solutions, you’ll begin to notice patterns. It’s more like developing your toolbox armed with a wide range of solutions that have proved useful in the past. So when problems emerge, you will notice how easy it is to take some of those old solutions and apply them to the new problem.

The more you attempt to apply creativity in solving problems, the more you grow your skills. In the long run, that will help you find the right solutions faster and apply them to a wide range of problems more naturally. It’s all about improving the effectiveness and efficiency with which you tackle new problems while applying only the best possible solutions.

Read More : How to Stay Motivated at Work

3 Complementary Skills to Improve to Become a Good Problem Solver

Developing software is mostly about problem-solving at the very core before even writing your first lines of code. You have to identify problems that can be solved using software. Then you have to go on to understand how people try to solve such problems in real life.

It’s up to you to come up with a framework that allows you to take both the problem and the solution and convert them into computer code. And you have to do this in such a way that makes the software even more efficient and effective than a human.

While going through this process, developers also have to handle other problems such as deadline deliveries, checking for bugs and fixing them, and collaborate across teams. So, supporting skills must not be overlooked.

Software developers must build interpersonal skills and collaboration skills . Being able to empathize, accept feedback, handle criticism, listen intently, and show respect for others are all important characteristics and abilities necessary for teamwork, and, thus, necessary for solving problems on the job.

Read More : 5 Ways to Stand Out & Get Noticed in Your Current Development Job

Communication

No one is an island, and that’s true when you consider how software engineers work. Building software requires keeping up with clients and teammates and other departments. You can’t afford to be a Lone Ranger, at least not 100% of the time, and that’s why employers always look for good communication skills.

Being a good software developer also involves how well you can break down very complex concepts to laypeople. You want to be the kind of person who fixes a problem and is able to explain how you were able to do it. It’s all about your ability to be clear and articulate about every aspect of your work. And you want to be able to communicate not just verbally but also in written form.

To build your communication skills as a developer, you can learn from more experienced people and observe how they interact with their clients. And, don’t forget, with more and more companies becoming global enterprises and going remote, it’s important to brush up on your intercultural communication skills , as well.

Logical thinking

The difference between elite software developers and average ones is often said to be logical thinking. The ability to process thoughts logically is important, because you’ll often spend most of your time finding and fixing bugs rather than writing code.

Problems can show up from just about anywhere, even from what seems to be the most insignificant errors. So, your ability to detect software issues and solve these problems using deductive thought processes is a vital ingredient to your success as a software developer.

Read More : Questions to Ask at Interviews for Software Engineering Jobs

Problem-Solving Stages & Practices

There are countless problem-solving processes and various schools of thought regarding the best way to approach problems whenever they arise. To solve that problem, we’ve pooled some of these frameworks together to come up with a comprehensive approach to problem-solving.

Step 1 – Define the problem

You have to first start with problem identification. Knowing what you are dealing with is important, because you don’t want to risk spending valuable time applying wrong solutions. Avoid making automatic assumptions. Even when the symptoms look familiar, you want to investigate properly because such signs could be pointing to something else entirely.

Problems in software development come in different sizes and scopes. You could be having trouble getting some aspects of the product to respond in the desired way. Or maybe you’re having issues trying to decipher a codebase section where you can no longer communicate with the original developers. Sometimes, the problem could come in the form of an unfamiliar error message and you’re at loss.

Once you’re able to define the problem, make sure to document it.

Step 2 – Analyze the problem

Now it’s time to carry out problem analysis . Before deciding what problem resolution methods to adopt, it’s necessary to find out all there is to the issue, which builds on our first step. This will make it easier to come up with ideas and solutions later on.

Problem analysis isn’t always a walk in the park. There are times when the problem involves a very small mistake such as failing to import a package correctly or a small syntax error. Other times, however, it could be such a huge error, like the entire program acting differently than what you want. There might be no alarms or blinking red lights to tell you what the exact problem is.

If you encounter such situations, you can find answers by articulating the problem. Document what you intend to do, what you’ve done, the original intention for the program, and where you currently are. Communication comes in handy here, of course, not just in your documentation, but also in how you relay it to your teammates.

Read More : Got a Busy Developer Schedule? Here’s How to Keep Learning & Make Time

Step 3 – Brainstorm

This step has to do with generating ideas, and you can benefit from discussing the problem with a team and then coming up with ways to get it fixed. Keep in mind that problem-solving at work involves interacting with a diverse group of people where the individuals have unique skill sets and experiences.

Many developers tend to neglect the previous steps and rush straight into brainstorming. That’s definitely not a good way to go about problem-solving. The idea is not to skip the important steps in the process.

Once you get to the point where ideas need to be generated, do not discard any, because this step relies on a wide range of ideas. Only after gathering as many perspectives as possible should you then begin reviewing and narrowing down to the best possible solution.

Step 4 – Make a decision

At this point, all viable solutions have to be analyzed before selecting the most appropriate one to implement. Picking the best possible solution depends on its ability to meet certain criteria. It must be suitable, feasible, and then acceptable.

What it means is that the solution must be able to get the problem solved. It should also be easy to see how such a solution fits into the equation. And then every member of the team involved in the brainstorming process has to unanimously accept the solution.

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Step 5 – Implement

After identifying and choosing the solution, the next logical step is to plan out the implementation process and then execute it. Coming up with a detailed plan is crucial if the solution is to be a success.

Now this plan must detail all the necessary steps required to implement the solution. It will also explain the length of time and stages of work required. Once all of that is put in place, you can then move forward with the execution. The idea is not just to execute a solution but to do it the right way.

Implementation using automated tests can help to keep unexpected issues from arising in the future. Some other problem-solving practices or approaches begin the process with this step. So, whenever any changes are made to the project, tests asserting that the changes will perform as required will be written first before the changes are then made.

Step 6 – Evaluate

No problem-solving process can be deemed comprehensive enough if there is no room for evaluation. Whatever the solution may be, it has to undergo strict evaluation in order to see how it performs. That will also help determine whether the problem still exists and the extent to which such an issue keeps recurring.

In the event that the problem persists despite the implementation of a detailed plan, then the developer and team may even have to restart the problem-solving process. However discouraging that may sound, at least you’ll have caught it early enough. And, this also proves the process worked.

Read More : How to Become a Software Engineer: Education, Steps & Tips for Success

Final Thoughts

Developing problem-solving skills is quite necessary for software developers. To be a successful problem solver, you will need lots of years down the line to practice what you study.

Always remember that you are a problem solver first before anything else. There is more to building software than just understanding the tech behind it and writing lines of code. It’s all about improving your ability to identify problems and find solutions, and that will need lots of experience on your part.

Never shy away from problems, but learn to think critically and logically in any situation. By applying the six-step strategy for problem-solving at work discussed in this piece, you will be more equipped to come up with the most effective and efficient solutions.

We hope you enjoyed reading our guide on how to solve a problem as a software developer and ways to improve skills as a problem solver! If you have any questions, feedback, or other great problem-solving techniques or methods, let us know in the comments below 🙂

The Arc team publishes insightful articles and thought leadership pieces related to software engineering careers and remote work. From helping entry-level developers land their first junior role to assisting remote workers struggling with working from home to guiding mid-level programmers as they seek a leadership position, Arc covers it all and more!

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In Their Own Words: 15 Salesforce Engineering Innovators Discuss the Art of Problem Solving

In our “Engineering Energizers” series, we explore the problem-solving skills of engineering leaders. In this special edition, we caught up with some of the brightest minds from Salesforce Engineering across India, Argentina, and the U.S, and are meeting a few new innovators who will be featured on the Engineering Blog in the near future. Join us as we explore their unique approaches and unwavering commitment to tackling complex challenges at scale.

Indira Iyer Senior Vice President, Software Engineering Palo Alto, CA

“I thrive on engineering problems with ambiguity and compressed timelines, as they challenge me to think creatively and problem-solve efficiently. Working under pressure motivates me to perform at my best. As a manager, I find great satisfaction in leading teams through these challenging projects, witnessing their growth as problem solvers, and the development of their skills.”

Read more >>

Christopher Williams VP, Software Engineering San Francisco, CA

“Salesforce empowers my problem-solving abilities by fostering a culture of innovation and embracing change. As an engineer, I understand the importance of not being afraid to challenge assumptions and take calculated risks when updating code to meet our customers’ needs. Salesforce recognizes and values the courage it takes to make these decisions and drive impactful transformations.” Read more >>

Kwesi Ames VP, Software Engineering Remote, Maryland

“Salesforce supports our team’s creative problem-solving by fostering a culture of experimentation, where we’re encouraged to take risks and try innovative approaches. This freedom to be bold, fail fast, and iterate enables my team to release products and continuously enhance them. It especially allows us to address challenges associated with integrating new technologies like Gen AI. For example, trial and error methods are essential to improve accuracy of our AI responses, minimize hallucinations, and ultimately boost our customers’ productivity. Ultimately, Salesforce’s engineering culture is steeped in a spirit of innovation and we’ve been able to unlock that on our journeys, whatever problem we’re solving.“

Read more >>

Jeanine Walters Principal Architect San Francisco, CA

“Working at Salesforce is an exciting experience that involves problem-solving and collaboration. I work closely with architects on my team to ensure the successful development of Marketing Cloud Growth Edition . Salesforce’s widespread usage allows us to create a platform that anticipates future needs, including the integration of AI. Problem-solving is at the core of my role, as we strive to address current and future challenges to provide innovative solutions for our customers.”

Anish Bhatt Architect, Software Engineering San Francisco, CA

“At Salesforce Engineering, we thrive on a culture of collaboration and openness. We actively encourage cross-team interactions, where proposing fixes for bugs in other teams’ code is not only accepted but welcomed. This community spirit promotes trust and innovation while valuing the free exchange of ideas and improvements , resulting in enhanced problem-solving. Overall, our culture of openness and collaboration significantly benefits both our team and the company.”

Evangelina Martinez Ruiz Moreno Senior Director, Software Engineering Buenos Aires, Argentina

“Working on MuleSoft is an exhilarating experience centered around problem-solving. As engineers, we are constantly faced with challenges and decisions while building a complex product. These challenges drive us to think critically and find innovative solutions. Collaborating as a team, we engage in discussions to define the best course of action. It is incredibly rewarding to witness the impact of our solutions on customers and see how our product addresses their specific needs.”

Yingbo Zhou Senior Director, AI Research Palo Alto, CA

“What truly motivates me in my job is the opportunity to solve real-world problems using cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology . We are at an exciting time where we can apply the latest advancements in AI to address the challenges our customers face. The dynamic nature of the field, with advancements happening every day, keeps me engaged and driven to find innovative solutions.”

Vera Vetter Director, Product Management Palo Alto, CA

Here, I’ve had the privilege of tackling some of the most complex problems in my 12-year career, including pioneering generative AI products with our proprietary large language models (LLMs) before these technologies became mainstream. It’s incredibly gratifying to see our customers use these innovations to solve real problems. Moreover, the ambitious goals we set and the collaborative culture at Salesforce continually inspire me to enhance my technical skills and problem-solving abilities!”

Soumya KV Director, Software Engineering Bangalore, India

“As a leader, I find it exhilarating to work with a high-performing, resourceful, and tech-savvy team. Collaborating with such talented individuals stimulates the development of an elegant and sophisticated Data Cloud platform. Our daily work involves tackling challenging problems in a customer-centric environment, allowing us to address customer problems. This constant engagement keeps me motivated and driven each day. I genuinely look forward to waking up every morning and embracing these exciting challenges.” R ead more >>

Archana Kumari Director, Software Engineering Bangalore, India

“I am driven by the opportunity to solve tough engineering problems in unknown landscapes, where the outcome has yet to be defined. Automation has revolutionized my Data Cloud team’s problem-solving approach. Leveraging highly advanced capabilities, we seamlessly scale our efforts to tackle difficult challenges. This empowers us to do more with less, overcoming obstacles that would overwhelm a small team.“

Shiraz Ali Principal Member of the Technical Staff, Software Engineering San Francisco, CA

“At Salesforce, our engineers excel at problem-solving and we prioritize addressing real-time customer issues. Whether it’s developing innovative solutions or refining existing products, our focus remains on solving actual customer problems. This approach allows us to make a tangible impact on thousands of customers daily, ensuring their needs are met and their challenges are overcome.”

Shelby Heinecke Senior Manager, AI Research Palo Alto, CA

“During our collaboration with Data Cloud three years ago, we encountered the need to convert our AI models from Python to Java. This posed a distinctive challenge for our research group, as our expertise and focus were primarily centered around Python. However , we committed ourselves to mastering Java and spent the following two years diligently understanding and overcoming its idiosyncrasies. As a result, we have now become highly proficient in working with Java, successfully adapting our AI models to the new language.”

Boris Gamazaychikov Senior Manager, Emissions Reduction San Francisco, CA

“Salesforce’s engineering culture breaks down barriers and silos, fostering collaboration across departments. I work closely with teams like AI Research , Ethical AI, and Product to team to tackle AI sustainability challenges in innovative ways. This collaborative approach enhances my problem-solving capabilities, delivers trusted AI to our customers, and contributes to a cleaner, greener planet.”

Pratima Shukla Manager, Software Engineering Bangalore, India

“Solving tough engineering problems is my primary motivation. Collaborating with like-minded individuals, including product managers from different teams, further fuels my motivation. Their diverse perspectives contribute valuable insights, even if they are not directly involved in my project. This collaborative approach leads to continuous learning and enriching experiences.”

Zane Whitfield Member of the Technical Staff, Salesforce Engineering Los Angeles, CA

“ Our engineering culture thrives on autonomy, allowing our staff to think deeply and tackle industry-level challenges without bureaucratic hindrances. This autonomy serves as a building block for fostering smooth and dynamic movement, enabling us to excel in our work. By working on these complex problems, our engineers gain valuable experience, setting themselves up for growth and achievement.”

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How to Develop Problem-Solving Skills on Software Engineering

Gimena Aguerreberry May 20, 2021

Developing software is a rewarding endeavor because you create an efficient and easy-to-use program that solves people's problems. However, you have to be a good problem solver before getting to this end goal and launching your project.

Experienced developers will tell you that there's no way to prepare for the amount of tech issues, bugs, and human error that will come up during the development process. You have to learn how to think fast and solve problems collaboratively with others.

There are many things you can do to hone your problem-solving skills. Check out our top tips for becoming a problem solver, and you'll learn how to become a more effective software engineer quickly.

Take time to Research

Before you begin solving all your software's problems, you need to understand the problem head-on and your options available. This is where using a traditional development process can help.

In traditional problem-solving setups, the first step of problem-solving is learning more about the problem, researching it, and understanding it. Researching the topic is an essential part of this process, as you may begin to see solutions you hadn't previously recognized.

What have other developers said about this coding or framework structure bug? You can read programming books or even check out forums like r/Programming and even Quora.

Break Down Bigger Problems into Manageable Chunks

Once you better understand the problem, exercise your ability to break it down into manageable pieces. Think of it like this: an entire mountain is intimidating. But taking a step is doable. You don't need to conquer the mountain all at once. Take it one step at a time.

When we use our ability to break down a problem into simpler tasks, we not only work effectively but build our confidence and understanding of the problem. This part of the development process will improve your perspective of the problem and work like experienced developers.

Visualize Data Flows

Another method of problem-solving skills is to think in terms of data flows for your development process. Point A is the problem you start with, and you need to move it to the destination at the end: the solution.

Between the start of the process and destination, there are the arrows the data flows through, and then the boxes. Each box represents a sub-goal. If something doesn't work, you can set a new path and sub-goal.

The data will need to move through a flow chart and hit all the sub-goals to get to the destination. Each goal represents how the data will be somehow changed and manipulated.

The end of the flow is your main goal. By thinking through a data flow, you can follow the data through each transformation, easily set sub-goals, and understand how they contribute to reaching the ultimate solution!

Apply Parallel Task Management

Once you break down the problem into manageable tasks, consider when you'll need to complete each one.

One approach is to work on one task at a time. However, this can be inefficient. A more efficient approach, particularly if you're working with a team, is to work on two tasks that don't overlap.

For example, if you can do task number 3 before task 2 is finished, but you can't move onto task 4 without tasks 2 and 3 being completed, 2 and 3 can be grouped. Working on these tasks in tandem can keep you working and thinking about the problem overall.

When you don't group tasks, you may find yourself stuck on something in one task. And it can be hard to keep up your momentum. By finding tasks that complement each other, you'll learn more about your project, and working on one task could help you with the other!

Use (and Re-Use) Solutions That Already Work

Software development isn't always about reinventing the wheel. Experienced developers often take advantage of existing solutions rather than waste energy creating new solutions to old problems.

A clear example of this is with open source software development. You can save yourself time and the headache of creating hundreds of solutions and programming language algorithms that don't work like you need them to.

You can also re-use your own past successes or those of your colleagues. As you face new problems, you don't need to find novel solutions consistently. If the information is readily available, take advantage of it.

Every software engineer develops their problem-solving skills over time and improves with every project. As long as you are utilizing a process, work towards improving your skills (even if slowly doing so), and reflecting on your successes and failures, you will grow in your problem-solving skills and become an even better software engineer.

Need to develop your software with problem-solving skills that work? Our team at SOPHiLABS can take the pressure off. We have experience working through complex software engineering development issues with clients. We'll take a look at your project and work with your team to come up with efficient problem-solving solutions.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help with your software development project.

Myths About Software Development

Whether you're frustrated that the software engineers for your project won't just add features or the development process generally mystifies you, we're sure you've heard some myths about software development.

Useful Tips for Your App Strategy

Mobile app development isn't just about making a great product. You also need a marketing strategy that sets your product apart from the rest and even the best specialists don't get the formula right sometimes.

Mitigating Risks in Software Development

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Photo by Hitesh Choudhary .

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From data to discovery: studying computational biology with wolfram, navigating quantum computing: accelerating next-generation innovation, unlock innovative problem-solving skills with creative computation.

As computers continue to perform an increasing number of tasks for us, it’s never been more important to learn how to use computers in creative ways. Creative computing, an interdisciplinary subject combining coding with artistic expression, allows us to blend technology with human experiences. Learning to create in this way can help you unlock your innovative problem-solving skills. By mastering creative computation, you can create interactive artwork, design immersive experiences and develop creative solutions to real-world challenges.

Wolfram U ’s new Creative Computation course combines an introduction to Wolfram Language coding with a project-based exploration of various art forms, like visual art, poetry, audio and video game design. If you’ve never coded in Wolfram Language before, this course is a fantastic introduction to applied computing and will help you learn the language for any project. If you’ve already mastered the basics of coding, this course will help you apply your skills to fascinating new problems and projects.

We would love for you to join us in this interactive course as we explore what it means to work creatively with coding.

Motivation from History

Creative computing is a relatively new subject, but people have been using technology to make art for centuries. From the loom to the printing press or Walkman to Atari, technology has been part of art for as long as both have existed.

We now have a variety of exciting and creative ways to engage with computers, from AI-generated images to immersive virtual realities.

In this course, you will learn how to use Wolfram Language to create various forms of art. There are four main sections to the course: Computational Art, Computational Strings, Sound and Game Development. In each section, there are lessons teaching Wolfram Language skills, with associated exercises, and at the end of each section, there is a larger project. The projects are designed for you to stretch your creative muscles and use your new coding skills to create art. You’ll learn how to create visual art using images, how to write poetry using string manipulation, how to visualize audio and how to make text-based and graphics-based video games, all while learning how to code in Wolfram Language.

Here is a sneak peek at some of the topics in the course (shown in the left-hand column):

With 16 lessons, five quizzes and four projects, this course should take around five hours to complete. We recommend doing all the activities and projects to maximize your understanding and explore your new skills.

There is no background required to participate in this course. We will teach you all the coding skills you need to make the projects, so all that is required is your excitement and creativity.

Let’s explore what’s in the course.

There are 16 lessons in this course spread out over the five total sections (Computational Thinking and Coding, Computational Art, Computational Strings, Sound and Game Development). In each lesson, you will explore a different aspect of coding through a short video. You’ll start off by exploring the concept of computational thinking: how to translate your thoughts and your creativity into something the computer can understand and how to work with a computer to build creative artifacts. Here is a short excerpt from the video for this lesson:

Each lesson teaches a specific coding skill, with lots of examples and exploration of key concepts. In the Computational Art section, the goal is to use images and graphics to create a piece of art. In order to do that, we need to learn skills like variables, functions, lists, the Table and Map functions, colors, graphics and randomness, and image manipulation. Each skill is taught with an interactive video lesson in conjunction with exercises, before you use the project to test your knowledge.

The video lessons range from 5–13 minutes in length, and each video is accompanied by a transcript notebook displayed on the right-hand side of the screen. You can copy and paste Wolfram Language input directly from the transcript notebook to the embedded scratch notebook to try the examples for yourself.

Each lesson has a set of exercises to review the concepts covered during the lesson. Since this course is designed for independent study, a detailed solution is given for all exercises. Each exercise will help you practice a specific skill you’ve learned so that you are ready to use that skill in the project. Here is an example of an exercise from lesson 6 on image manipulation:

The exercise notebooks are interactive, so you can try variations of each problem in the Wolfram Cloud . You’re encouraged to blend skills together as you learn them. For example, for the aforementioned exercise, you could use the skills you just learned about randomness to replace the dominant colors in the image of the wolf with random colors, or you could import images to do the same exercise with a different image. When you’ve gotten further in the course, you could come back and build your own function that can do this to any two images.

Each section of the course includes a short project, and the Game Development section has two longer projects. In each case, you’ll use the skills you learned in that section to build something creative. In the first three sections, we provide detailed solutions and walk you though our processes, but in the Game Development section, we encourage you to build something unique.

In the Computational Art section, you’ll make art using images and shapes. In Computational Strings, you’ll write a Mad Libs haiku. In Sound, you’ll make an audio visualizer. In Game Development, you’ll make a text adventure game and a graphics-based Pac-Man –style game.

These projects will allow you to celebrate your successes and practice your new coding skills while cementing your understanding of creative computation.

Each section of the course ends with a short quiz, which allows you to demonstrate your understanding:

You will get instant feedback on your solutions, and you’re encouraged to try out the code.

Course Certificate

You are encouraged to watch all the lessons and attempt the projects and quizzes in the recommended sequence, since each topic in the course relies on earlier concepts and techniques. When you watch all 16 lesson videos and pass the five course quizzes, you will earn a certificate of course completion. The Track My Progress status bar in the course helps you to chart your progress, showing you where you left off from your previous course session. While you don’t have to submit projects to earn a certificate, they are a fundamental part of gaining computational skills, and we look forward to connecting with course users about their projects on Wolfram Community . Your course certificate represents completion of the basic course requirements, demonstrates your interest in exploring the latest technology and in building new computational skills, and it will add value to your resume or social media profile.

You are also encouraged to use the skills you learn in this course to go on to earn Level 1 certification for Wolfram Language proficiency . While the course does not require the same level of mathematics as the Level 1 certification exam, it will prepare you well for accomplishing the range of computational tasks that are required for Level 1 certification.

A Building Block for Success

A mastery of the fundamental concepts of creative computing will prepare you for working with computers to innovatively solve problems. Whether you’re interested in creating art or you’re interested in developing your coding skills, this course will provide a detailed foundation in both. Learning Wolfram Language is a valuable pursuit regardless of your career aspirations, as you can use the skills you learn in this course in any field.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my coauthor Eryn Gillam for their major contributions to the development of this course, as well as others who helped this course come together, including (but not limited to) Anisha Basil, Abrita Chakravarty, Cassidy Hinkle, Joyce Tracewell, Arben Kalziqi, Isabel Skidmore, Zach Shelton, Simeon Buttery, Ryan Domier and Eder Ordonez.

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