Assumptions:Assumptions:True, False, ???True, False, ???

Paul MorrisPaul MorrisCIS144CIS144Week 2Week 2

What do you know for sure?What do you know for sure?

Assumptions are necessary!Assumptions are necessary!

They set limits to the problemsThey set limits to the problems Assumptions reflect desired Assumptions reflect desired

valuesvalues Assumptions simplify the Assumptions simplify the

problemproblem

Assumptions are oftenAssumptions are oftenself-imposedself-imposed1. Is the assumption necessary?1. Is the assumption necessary? If not, can If not, can

or should it be dispensed with? or should it be dispensed with? 2. If the assumption is not necessary, is it 2. If the assumption is not necessary, is it

appropriate?appropriate? That is, many rather arbitrary That is, many rather arbitrary assumptions and constraints are assumptions and constraints are nevertheless desirable. nevertheless desirable. For example, when we say, "We have only For example, when we say, "We have only two weeks to solve this problem," those two weeks to solve this problem," those two weeks may be entirely appropriate as two weeks may be entirely appropriate as an outside time limit for generating and an outside time limit for generating and implementing the solution, simply because implementing the solution, simply because the problem's importance in relation to the the problem's importance in relation to the rest of life warrants no more than those two rest of life warrants no more than those two weeks.weeks.

Examine the Assumptions Examine the Assumptions behind the Problembehind the Problem Make a list of assumptions. Make a list of assumptions. Focus your assumption Focus your assumption

identification on the crux or identification on the crux or sticking point of the problem. sticking point of the problem.

Look over your written statements Look over your written statements of the problem and your lists of of the problem and your lists of constraints and write out a list of constraints and write out a list of the assumptions behind each the assumptions behind each item.item.

Entry PointsEntry Points

Front end entry points. Front end entry points. Beginning at the end. Beginning at the end. Somewhere between the Somewhere between the

beginning and the endbeginning and the end