Generalized problem solving

Stanley Kubrick: "develop a generalized method of solving problems".

I think that if you get involved in any kind of problem-solving in depth, on almost anything, it's surprisingly similar to problem-solving on anything. I started out by getting a camera and learning how to take pictures, and learning how to print pictures, and learning how to build a dark room, and learning how to do all the technical things, and so on and so on. And then finally trying to find out how you could sell pictures and - would it be possible to be a professional photographer. And it was a case of over a period of say, from the age of 13 to 17, you might say going through, step by step by myself, without anybody really helping me, the problem-solving of becoming a photographer. And i found that, i think looking back, that this particular thing about problem solving is something that schools generally don't teach, and that if you can develop a generalized approach to problem solving that it's surprising how it helps you in anything.

From Stanley Kubrick Interview with Jeremy Bernstein, 27th November 1966

What is my personal generalized method of problem solving?

• Collect a Swiss-army knife of design patterns
• Create choices, make choices

Also: learn to learn