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Developer Tea

One Big Step Versus A Small Random Step

Aug 27, 2023
Count the cost of learning. Optimize for the cost of learning when choosing a path towards a goal. Sometimes it's easier to learn by smaller steps. Determine the cost of learning in your situation. Continuous learning is crucial in decision-making and goal achievement.
13:24

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Optimizing for the cost of learning is crucial when choosing a path towards a goal.
  • Prioritize learning and recognize that it helps in deciding the direction to step in complex systems.

Deep dives

The value of small random steps in complex systems

In this thought experiment, the question is whether to take one major step or a series of random steps towards a goal in a complex and uncertain system. The worst decision would be knowingly going in the opposite direction of the goal. However, a random decision is not always a bad decision, as there are usually multiple choices that are better than the worst option. The thought experiment extends to exploring how incremental learning can make random steps less random and eventually lead to better decisions. The key insight is to consider the cost of learning before taking action versus the cost of learning after, and in software engineering, learning after the fact is often less expensive than trying to predict and plan everything in advance.

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