Overing the problem...

[LPolaright]

Yes, I know, it is not how you write "Solving a problem" but after you read this thread you may realize what I meant.

Main question here is:
Do you oversimplify or over-complicate problems in order to solve them?

I think we all know what over-complicating means, as we find a simple problem and we start to over-analyze it with many many details and much comprehension to things that are beyond of the question asked in the problem... I tend to do it a lot, and I usually find myself a little bit lost and might sometimes not solve the problem because of the amount of details I can perceive.

But sometimes we find ourselves oversimplifying as-well. Answering a question in matter of seconds just because we looked at the basic structure of it. Or missing the bigger picture because we oversimplified it into the wrong extent. I also get this sometimes when I try to solve problems efficiently and try to grasp the bigger picture and squeeze into a small box (abstractively speaking) but instead I find myself cropping the picture in the process.

What do you usually do when problem solving? Oversimplifying or over-complicating?

I'm interested to hear the answer from you people.

 

[Jaico]

I have a feeling that I oversimplify a lot of things...especially things that really shouldn't be simplified. I find that it's easier to think in broad generalities rather than bringing in too much detail...

Of course, that could also just be because I'm lazy and prefer to speed through work/problems rather than doing them.

Also:
http://www.xkcd.com/793/

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Uh, I think I over-complicate to oversimplify to understand/solve.

 

[pjoa09]

Uh, I think I over-complicate to oversimplify to understand/solve.

HAHA EXACTLY! SERIOUSLY CAPS LOCK FOR THAT. NO DOUBT. THAT IS EVERYTHING I WANNA SAY.

yeah but really damn.. that is sooo well worded.

 

[5k17]

I over-generalize, which I feel is a mixture of both.

 

[kantor1003]

I tend to overcomplicate things, unfortunately.

 

[Lobstrich]

Alot of people would probably think that I (over)simplify emotional problems, like mourning, having lost a boyfriend, having a drug addict father/husband etc.

But problems when I want to do stuff, paint something, build something, come up with something etc. I probably tend to overcomplicate, I go "what if?" ALOT