Ambiguity is inevitable!
If there is no ambiguity, we just need to execute. A junior engineer maybe given a clearly articulated task to “execute”. The task may not have any ambiguity.
But with experience, the level of ambiguity will increase. And we are expected to convert the ambiguous problems/projects/statements into a actionable/executable tasks.
Rather than getting uncomfortable with ambiguity, we are expected to deal with it and move forward.
Take a problem, understand the context around it, list down any prerequisites (for you to know/understand). Ask questions that can make you move forward (to product team for requirements etc) List down the various possible paths we can take, along with their pros and cons and propose one. Make such assumption explicit and clear so that all stakeholders are aligned. With these, produce the tasks that can be executed.
When I worked on my first “Solution Design”:
- Given a problem statement, and an ambitious timelines, I needed to come up with a solution that can be achieved in that timeline.
- To be able to do that, needed to explore various interpretations of the problem (ask as many questions that lead to a simplified and convinced understanding of the problem and solution), get an alignment with stakeholders on what exactly we will be solving, parallelly understand the existing ecosystem, so that we can stitch various components with their interaction defined to achive the solution.
- Make sure to document all the options we’ve and recommendation based on analysis, get an alignment from all stakeholders.
I’ve felt ambiguity everywhere, but yet I’m expected to produce a solution. Need to work with multiple people along the way. And I’ve learned that this is how things will be, various conversations with my friend also revealed the need to handle ambiguity, he said " how much ambiguity a CEO will need to handle? “, nothing will be given to us with clear details, but we need to move forward!
The ambiguity can be many types: it maybe due to incomplete understanding of the system, or stakeholders have different perspectives, problem is underspecified, the constraints are not clearly defined etc.
Even in technical interviews of 45mins duration, you are usually given a problem statement, that is slightly vague or maybe you won’t be able to finish complete problem in 45mins, or interviewer expects you to ask “certain” questions that will lead to a simplified version and questions that indicate that you are understanding. Even, in the interview they are testing “what the candidate can deliver in 45mins given a problem statement”. So it is essential to deliver working solution in that 45mins despite of ambiguous problem statement. Interviewer is the stakeholder, get their approval on what you can deliver (with proper understanding of problem, options we’ve, recommended option, and assumptions).
Found an insightful linkedin post, that resonated with this thought process. Attaching the image here from that post.
Dealing with ambiguity applies to life in general. Everything in life is ambiguous, we need to take decisions with reasonable assumptions and move forward.
What I learned is “mindset” matters more than our abilities, have a positive, disciplined, result oriented mindset. Not overthinking for “perfect clarity” and focus on making “progress”.
Everyone cares about progress and outcomes, in personal life and professional life. So focus on those!
AI can give better examples of dealing with ambiguity in professional life, here wrote my experience!