Managing Cognitive Load and Uncertainty in Engineering Problem Solving

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A DEV Community article, the second in a series on the psychology of problem solving, examines how engineers can work through complex challenges. It argues that solving a problem depends not only on knowledge but on how much information a person can hold in working memory at once. The author suggests offloading information into external tools such as diagrams, logs, and structured tables to reduce mental strain. The piece also covers making decisions under uncertainty, adapting search strategies, and learning from feedback. Its stated aim is to encourage more deliberate management of the problem-solving process rather than rigid methodologies.

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