DZone

  • Manage Email Subscriptions
  • How to Post to DZone
  • Article Submission Guidelines
  • Manage My Drafts

Migrate, Modernize and Build Java Web Apps on Azure : This live workshop will cover methods to enhance Java application development workflow.

Modern Digital Website Security: Prepare to face any form of malicious web activity and enable your sites to optimally serve your customers.

Kubernetes in the Enterprise : The latest expert insights on scaling, serverless, Kubernetes-powered AI, cluster security, FinOps, and more.

E-Commerce Development Essentials: Considering starting or working on an e-commerce business? Learn how to create a backend that scales.

  • A Beginner's Guide to Machine Learning: What Aspiring Data Scientists Should Know
  • How to Configure NGINX High Availability Cluster Using Pacemaker on Ubuntu 16.04
  • A Complete Guide on iOS Accessibility Testing Tools
  • Send Time Optimization
  • Demystifying Databases, Data Warehouses, Data Lakes, and Data Lake Houses
  • The Most Valuable Code Is the Code You Should Not Write
  • Apply Strangler Pattern To Decompose Legacy System Into Microservices: Part 1
  • Reading an HTML File, Parsing It and Converting It to a PDF File With the Pdfbox Library
  • Data Engineering

5 Key Capabilities the Best Problem Solvers Have

Joel Nylund user avatar

Join the DZone community and get the full member experience.

knack for problem solving meaning

Throughout my career, I have heard people say things like “He has a knack for fixing difficult bugs,” or “She has a knack for getting Ruby to work with OpenSSH.” The definition of “knack” according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “an acquired or natural skill at performing a task.” 

What we are really talking about here is the skill of “problem solving.” I tend to believe that in our industry it’s almost always an “acquired” skill. If you agree with this, then how and when was it acquired? Why are some of us exponentially better than others at problem solving? How can we become better problem solvers?

I believe what makes a great problem solver boils down to five key capabilities or skills.

  • Unrelenting willpower : How hard are you willing to work to solve this problem; will you give up after five minutes, five hours, five days, five weeks, or five years? When will you stop trying? How strong is your “will” to solve this problem? I always think about Star Trek and the Kobayashi Maru , a training exercise in the fictional Star Trek universe designed to test the character of Starfleet Academy cadets in a no-win scenario . Captain Kirk took the test three times while at Starfleet Academy. Before his third attempt, Kirk surreptitiously reprogrammed the simulator so that it was possible to rescue the freighter. Despite having cheated, Kirk was awarded a commendation for “original thinking.” In this case, Captain Kirk’s willpower was unrelenting, and he refused to give up, knowing that there must be a way to solve this problem. In my career, I can think of a handful of technical issues that took weeks to solve. I feel that my willpower to never give up got me through the frustrations of not being able to find the problem and fix it.
  • Breaking big problems into chunks : Sometimes problems are way too big to solve all at once. Great problem solvers take a big problem and break it down into small chunks that are solvable. In software, most complex problems traverse multiple levels of the stack. It could be a hardware problem, or a network problem, or an operating system level issue, or a framework issue, or an issue with your code. Being able to isolate an issue, by breaking it down, is key. One time in the early 2000s I was working on a WebLogic cluster problem, where the session replication was not working in some cases. When we would fire up the servers, it would work fine, but then after a few minutes, replication would stop working. This was a very tough problem that we spent weeks trying to solve. We finally solved it by creating a cluster of two servers on a simple switch (networking device); there the clustering worked fine, so we just started adding pieces until it stopped. By this elimination/addition approach we figured out that our load balancer had a security setting that was blocking the multicast protocol (which the cluster session replication was using) after an initial period of time. Once we disabled this, the problem went away and all was well. See my Networking 101 for Developers video for some good tips on network troubleshooting.

                    “ Being able to isolate an issue, by breaking it down, is key. ”

  • Big picture :   Being a great problem-solving software engineer requires being a great software engineer, but also requires the skills of a passable system administrator (in Linux, Windows or Mac depending on your target), network administrator, security administrator, requirements analyst, data scientist and tester. Often in software, many of the toughest problems are caused by leaky abstractions, and having some basic experience in other parts of the stack can help you troubleshoot the problems and make you better at your core role. Being able to see the big picture helps you view your problem with perspective and come up with a good long-term solution.
  • Methodical : Often in interviews when someone is coding for us, and they encounter a problem, we see them flounder with some trial and error fixes. They keep trying new things at random hoping one of them will work. This approach is one many people take to fixing a problem. A better way is to take a step back and look at the big picture, figure out what things you should try that might fix the problem, and then order them by which is most likely to work. Once you have the list, you need to track each solution and combination of solutions you try and review the result. Additionally, part of being methodical is knowing when to bring in another “expert” to help; usually after you have broken down the problem and pinpointed a specific area where the problem is occurring. Once you’ve done the heavy lifting, and have perhaps spent some time investigating the issue, bringing in someone else who has domain knowledge can really be helpful and often speeds up the problem-solving process even if it’s just to have a second pair of eyes. If I only had a nickel for every time a developer asked for help and when I suggested the “obvious solution,” they said, “I already tried that,” then I responded with “Humor me,” and when they tried it and it worked they were shocked! The reason for this is they didn’t keep careful track of what they had tried.
  • Finding keywords that really match your problem and exclude other problems
  • Using double quotes to link keywords together: “Java developer” vs. Java developer yield very different results
  • Excluding sites using the “-”: Ruby help – stackoverflow.com
  • Searching within a specific site using “:”: Ruby help site:stackoverflow.com
  • Using OR to link two or more words together: ruby OR programming

Becoming a great problem solver is a life’s work for me – I am always looking for ways to improve my problem-solving skills! I hope my ideas here have helped you on your journey to becoming a better problem solver. If you have other ideas of ways to improve, please drop me a comment!

Published at DZone with permission of Joel Nylund . See the original article here.

Opinions expressed by DZone contributors are their own.

Partner Resources

  • About DZone
  • Send feedback
  • Advertise with DZone

CONTRIBUTE ON DZONE

  • Become a Contributor
  • Core Program
  • Visit the Writers' Zone
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • 3343 Perimeter Hill Drive
  • Nashville, TN 37211
  • [email protected]

Let's be friends:

  • Pop culture
  • Writing tips
  • Daily Crossword
  • Word Puzzle
  • Word Finder
  • Word of the Day
  • Synonym of the Day
  • Word of the Year
  • Language stories
  • All featured
  • Gender and sexuality
  • All pop culture
  • Grammar Coach ™
  • Writing hub
  • Grammar essentials
  • Commonly confused
  • All writing tips

a special skill, talent, or aptitude: He had a knack for saying the right thing.

a clever or adroit way of doing something.

a trick or ruse.

a sharp, cracking sound.

Archaic . a knickknack; trinket.

Origin of knack

Other words for knack, words nearby knack.

  • knacker's yard

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use knack in a sentence

Rivera has a knack for social media, which he uses to create content for events, speak out about problems in the restaurant industry, or just post pictures of delicious food and cute dogs.

Beautiful table decor isn’t always reliant on candles, flower arrangements, or other knick knacks.

Along the way, it developed a knack for edgy destinations, among them Pakistan’s Karakoram Range, where the highlight was the literally breathtaking ascent to K2’s 16,500-foot base camp.

I feel like I have a knack for speaking up for what I feel, not only the silent majority, but the forgotten Americans who come from places like where I come from.

The robots are not only some of the most advanced in the world, their makers just seem to have a knack for dynamite demos.

Brinsley was trying to produce tracks—hip-hop, mostly—and he apparently had a knack as a techie.

In the film, Foxx is able to showcase his singing, knack for comedy and all-around versatility.

Puck artists, like their predecessors, combined picture-making skills with a caricatural precision and a knack for lethal symbols.

Nigel Lythgoe has a knack for resuscitating pop culture tenets that seem on their death bed.

How did you develop this knack for inventing, and surrealism?

There is quite a little knack in letting the hand fall so, but when you have once got it, the chord sounds much richer and fuller.

Hope-Jones' enthusiasm knew no bounds and he had the knack of imparting it to those who worked under him.

They possessed the knack of composition and were what Bobby Hargrew called fluid writers.

After several failures, the boys acquired the knack of making up and binding a pack.

It requires a good deal of knack to keep your balance while some one is pounding you with a large pillow.

British Dictionary definitions for knack

/ ( næk ) /

a skilful, ingenious, or resourceful way of doing something

a particular talent or aptitude, esp an intuitive one

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Randy Stuart Coaching

Fortune friday: “you are a deep thinker with a knack for problem solving.”.

It often feels like society—or at least western culture—is becoming increasingly shallow. Our news and media are delivered in sound bites and 15-second clips. Our social interactions reduced to likes, emoticons, and 140-character blurbs. Personal appearance and getting our 15 minutes of fame seem more important that character, integrity, and good old fashioned hard work.

I know this is not a completely accurate picture. I am sure there are thousands, if not millions, of grounded folks out there. I’m just saying the trend seems to be swinging to the shallow end of the spectrum.

And the problem with a shallow society is that it breeds individuals with a shallow mentality. Me, me, me. Now, now, now. It breeds impatience, intolerance, and a lack of foresight—the kind of vision needed for fixing what ails humanity.

The solution is to go deep. Dive deep. Be deep.

Going deeper is a learnable skill. We all have the capacity to go deep. How often have you heard yourself say, “I’m just not creative,” or “I don’t have great ideas”? But how hard have you tried? Really. How many hours have you dedicated to solving your problems or to getting crystal clear on what you want from life? Be honest. Actual hours and minutes. 20 hours? 10, 5, 1? If you were a consultant and were billing time for deep thinking, how much could you honestly bill?

My guess is you’re not going deep enough.

Most of us deal with our circumstances on a superficial level. We put Band-Aids on top of Band-Aids. Quick fixes that last just long enough until the problem resurfaces.

Go deep. Go medieval on your problems. Think long and hard. Give those problems the attention they deserve.

Persons of renown and respect are often described as having a depth of knowledge, or experience or character. They’re deep. They have layers. Are you developing adequate depth in your life, relationships, or career?

To your good fortune!

Share on Facebook

knack for problem solving meaning

A knack for problem-solving?

knack for problem solving meaning

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

knack for problem solving meaning

ONLINE SHOP

Play the sveshnikov sicilian and sveshnikov powerbook and sveshnikov powerbase.

knack for problem solving meaning

The starting point of this video course is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5. Rogozenco explains the ins and outs of the mainline and sidelines.

€44.90

knack for problem solving meaning

Strong multi-format tournament running in Sharjah with Yu, Sjugirov, Nihal and Salem

knack for problem solving meaning

Sinquefield Cup: A perfect day for So

knack for problem solving meaning

60m van Wely SicilianNajdorf

knack for problem solving meaning

Attacker, coward, swindler or endgame wizard

€89.90

ChessBase Magazine Extra 216

knack for problem solving meaning

Videos: Nico Zwirs (Catalan with 7.h4) and Jan Werle (King's Indian Classical with 7...Nbd7). Lucky bag with analyses by Lubomir Ftacnik, Spyridon Kapnisis, Michal Krasenkow, Adrian Mikhalchishin, Renato Quintiliano and many more.

€14.90

The Sicilian Najdorf Powerbase 2024

knack for problem solving meaning

The Sicilian Najdorf Powerbase 2024 is a database and contains 11474 games from the Mega 2024 and the Correspondence Database 2024, 1075 of which are annotated.

The Sicilian Najdorf Powerbook 2024

knack for problem solving meaning

The Sicilian Najdorf Powerbook 2024 has a tree structure which is based on 3.91 million computer chess games played in the engine room of playchess.com.

Najdorf: A dynamic grandmaster repertoire against 1.e4 Vol.1 & 2 + Najdorf Powerbase & Book 2024

knack for problem solving meaning

In the first part of the video series, we will look at White’s four main moves: 6. Bg5, 6. Be3, 6. Be2 and 6. Bc4.

€99.60 €79.90

Mega Database 2024

knack for problem solving meaning

The ChessBase Mega Database 2024 is the premiere chess database with over 10.4 million games from 1475 to 2023 in high quality.

€219.90

Corr Database 2024

knack for problem solving meaning

The new Corr Database 2024 is the large ChessBase collection of correspondence games from the period from 1804 to 2023.

€199.90

ChessBase 17 - Premium package - Edition 2024

knack for problem solving meaning

€499.90

Fritztrainer in App Store

knack for problem solving meaning

for iPads and iPhones

Pop-up for detailed settings

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy .

  • More from M-W
  • To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of knack

gift , faculty , aptitude , bent , talent , genius , knack mean a special ability for doing something.

gift often implies special favor by God or nature.

faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.

aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.

bent is nearly equal to aptitude but it stresses inclination perhaps more than specific ability.

talent suggests a marked natural ability that needs to be developed.

genius suggests impressive inborn creative ability.

knack implies a comparatively minor but special ability making for ease and dexterity in performance.

Examples of knack in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English knak

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Dictionary Entries Near knack

Cite this entry.

“Knack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knack. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of knack, more from merriam-webster on knack.

Nglish: Translation of knack for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of knack for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries.  Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day, avoirdupois.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

IMAGES

  1. Knack Meaning

    knack for problem solving meaning

  2. You are a deep thinker with a knack for problem solving.

    knack for problem solving meaning

  3. Knack 2 Review

    knack for problem solving meaning

  4. Knack definition and meaning

    knack for problem solving meaning

  5. Knick-knack Meaning

    knack for problem solving meaning

  6. Peoples knack for unconventional problem solving

    knack for problem solving meaning

VIDEO

  1. krishnay vasudevay harye parmatmane

  2. meaning of knack / word of the day #vocabularylearning

  3. Knick-Knack

  4. KNACK

  5. Youtube algorithm problem 🥴/part-1/#shorts #shortsfeed

  6. The Clever Bandits of the Night: Inside the Secret World of Raccoons

COMMENTS

  1. Insider Secrets: What You Need to Know to Become a Freight Forwarder

    Are you interested in the logistics industry? Do you have a knack for organization and problem-solving? If so, becoming a freight forwarder might be the perfect career path for you.

  2. What Are the Six Steps of Problem Solving?

    The six steps of problem solving involve problem definition, problem analysis, developing possible solutions, selecting a solution, implementing the solution and evaluating the outcome. Problem solving models are used to address issues that...

  3. How to Solve Common Maytag Washer Problems

    Maytag washers are reliable and durable machines, but like any appliance, they can experience problems from time to time. Fortunately, many of the most common issues can be solved quickly and easily. Here’s a look at how to troubleshoot som...

  4. 5 Key Capabilities the Best Problem Solvers Have

    Throughout my career, I have heard people say things like “He has a knack for fixing difficult bugs,” or “She has a knack for getting Ruby

  5. If someone has knack for helping people solve problems, what steps

    I'm sorry but the manner in which this question is phrased raises several red flags. First "knack for helping people solve problems" is a

  6. KNACK Definition & Usage Examples

    How to use knack in a sentence. Rivera has a knack for social media, which he uses to create content for events, speak out about problems in the restaurant

  7. You are a deep thinker with a knack for problem solving

    Fortune Friday: “You are a deep thinker with a knack for problem solving.” ... It often feels like society—or at least western culture—is becoming

  8. Перевод "knack for" на русский

    ... knack for problem solving. Мне всегда нравилось работать с ними, в основном потому, что у меня получалось решать проблемы с их помощью. She had a strange

  9. A knack for problem-solving?

    Welcome to the ChessBase India Winter Chess Solving Championship, an initiative to promote chess composition and creative-logical thinking

  10. Problem solving/ Algorithm Skill is a knack or can be developed with

    Meanwhile I have been trying to keep attempting harder problems to improve but my knack of solving problems does not seem to improve at all

  11. Knack Definition & Meaning

    Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as

  12. Knapsack problem

    Solving edit. Several algorithms are available to solve knapsack problems, based on the dynamic programming approach, the branch and bound

  13. Problem Solving Skills: More Than a Resume Buzzword

    Problem solving skills, by definition, refer to: Your ability to ... Creativity: Your knack for thinking out of the box, coming up with

  14. Значение problem-solving в английском

    problem-solving: Определение problem-solving: the process of finding solutions to problems: . Узнать больше.