How to Troubleshoot Common Bugs

**What does it mean to troubleshoot?**

Troubleshooting may sound unfamiliar to some and may sound technical to others, but it is a skill that we have been utilizing since we were young. For example, a parent tells a kid to make sure they have on socks before leaving home, because it’s cold outside...but the kid can’t find matching socks. The dilemma is that the kid cannot leave home without wearing socks. The kid searches and searches for a matching pair of socks, but it’s time to walk out and they still haven’t found a match. The solution for many kids is to just find socks, any socks. For some, the socks will look similar, for others similarity doesn’t matter at all. Has the sock criterion been met for the kid to leave home? Yes, and so the dilemma/problem has been solved: troubleshooting in colorful action!

Troubleshooting in Daily Life

Another example of troubleshooting that you may be familiar with is setting up a new phone or device. If you are the person that your parent/guardian or any older adult hands their new phone or device to when they need assistance in setting up their new device (or just turning it on), then congratulations: you have been identified as a problem solver. Troubleshooters are problem solvers. The dilemma is the older adult is uncomfortable taking any risks with this new device that might “mess it up.”

As a kid born in the Information Age, this risk is of little concern to you because your experience with troubleshooting devices is as common as finding socks before leaving home. The chances are that YOU can have any new device up and working with basic functions in as little as 10 minutes, without watching a tutorial, sitting in a device course, or reading the device manual (yes, most devices still come with a physical device manual that you've probably never used, LOL).

The solution is to perform actions common to most devices and when faced with questions, challenges, or an unfamiliar task, try something two or three times, and then if none of those attempts work to find another kid or a video to help you solve the problem.

Troubleshooting as a Superpower

Troubleshooting and debugging technological devices is a superpower characteristic that distinguishes those who were born and raised in the Industrial Age from those born and raised in the Information Age. While the terminology may be new for you the skill is common enough to be considered natural for you and others born in the Information Age.

Video Lesson

So, what does it mean to troubleshoot? Simply stated, troubleshooting is the skill and ability to identify the problem/dilemma and apply strategies and actions, until you have identified an effective and efficient solution. To reinforce this information, watch this Code.org video titled, ‘ How To Debug.’ While watching this video, make mental notes on troubleshooting strategies when debugging.

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