Don't answer the first question
Published on Lobsters on May 17, 2026, the article titled "Don't answer the first question" advocates for a critical approach to problem-solving and communication, particularly within technical contexts. The author suggests that individuals, especially developers, should resist the urge to immediately provide solutions to the first question posed. Instead, the core argument centers on the importance of probing deeper to understand the underlying motivations, constraints, and true objectives behind an initial inquiry. This method aims to prevent misdirected effort and the development of solutions that fail to address the actual need. The article implies that by taking the time to clarify the real problem, teams can avoid common pitfalls such as building features that aren't truly required or solving symptoms rather than root causes. The excerpt "Comments" likely refers to the discussion section of the post, indicating community engagement around this principle. This approach is particularly relevant in client interactions, team collaborations, and debugging scenarios, where a superficial understanding can lead to significant rework and wasted resources. The piece encourages a shift from reactive problem-solving to a more proactive, diagnostic methodology.
This principle helps developers build more effective solutions by ensuring they address the true underlying problem, not just the initial query.