Wall Quote by Adam Fifield
““What Kennedy had taught him, he said, was not to hit complex problems head-on. Instead, envision the problem as a wall of bricks. "Try to identify a few bricks -- if you take them out the wall will collapse by itself," Grant had said.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Tech Conference, 2019
Advocates breaking down complex problems into smaller parts to solve them more easily.
In simple terms: Solve big problems by removing key pieces.
Key Takeaway
Identify and remove critical components.
Themes
problem solving
strategy
analysis
Mood
analytical
strategic
Type
educational
practical
When to use this quote
- project management
- software debugging
- policy reform
Key Concepts
systems thinking
decomposition
critical thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- Which “bricks” are essential to address first?
- When might a holistic approach be better?
A Different Perspective
Not all problems are reducible.
![“The young man [Turgot] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his studies, his reading, his professors, his associates, all were combined to keep from him any results of observation or reflection save those…” quote by Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5d4/andrew-dickson-white-24254_associates_the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecc_3146.jpg)
