Problem-solving workflow

Build a practical mental model for problem-solving workflow and use it in working JavaScript.

By the end, you will be able to…

Explain problem-solving workflow in your own words
Use problem-solving workflow in a small program
Recognize and debug a common failure mode

Build the mental model

Strong problem solvers do not start typing immediately. They restate the problem, work a small example by hand to find the pattern, sketch pseudocode, implement the simplest version that could work, then stress-test it against edge cases.

Syntax and working example

Read the code from inputs to output. Predict what it prints, then run it and change one value.

Working example

Console

Run your code · Ctrl/⌘ + Enter

Expected output: A five-step habit, not a code snippet

Why this matters

This workflow is exactly what technical interviews evaluate, and it is what separates 'I stared at the screen for an hour' from steady, visible progress on a hard problem.

Real-world example

Interviewers explicitly want to hear you restate the problem and discuss edge cases before you write any code — it demonstrates the same workflow.

Common mistakes

Writing code immediately without a plan
Skipping edge cases like empty input or a single item
Never working a small example by hand to find the pattern

Try it yourself

Challenge

Apply the workflow: write pseudocode as comments, then implement a function that finds the sum of an array's even numbers.

Practice

Console

Run your code · Ctrl/⌘ + Enter

Knowledge check

What should you typically do before writing any code for a new problem?

Summary

Restate, example, pseudocode, implement, test edge cases — a repeatable approach to any new problem.