There will be times when you feel stuck. You face a problem that you don’t know the solution to and you’re not sure you even recognise the causes. A diligent approach will help you.

Experimentation, observation, consultation – these three skills (for they can be honed as such) are key to figuring it out. They work well with people and with technical problems, if you bend them according to context.

If you still seem blocked, take a break. Come at it again with a clear mind and see if a new perspective forms. A very satisfactory bug hunt, which was actually more a mis-understanding of behaviour, offered me this clarity.