Heuristics are prompts for what to do . . . when you don't know what to do.
- Heuristics apply to the least understood part of creating systems, moving from a vague idea to taking action.
- They offer pragmatic advice for how to proceed when a situation is too uncertain for fully rational decision making. They can generate new thinking, nurture systematic approaches to problems, reduce risk, and identify opportunities.
- Think of them in terms of adding more of this type of action and less of that, as menus of potential actions and ideas for consideration.
- Heuristics are derived from experience of what tends to work. Using them requires judgment, they are not recipes or step by step checklists. Practical experience is required to understand them and recognize situations where they would apply.
- Exposure to many heuristics makes it easier to recognize lessons from your own experience and reduces the trial and error required to develop expertise.
"There are two parts to learning craftsmanship: knowledge and work. You must gain the knowledge of principles, patterns, practices, and heuristics that a craftsman knows, and you must also grind that knowledge into your fingers, eyes, and gut by working hard and practicing."
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