Questions
Where should I start when a problem feels messy?
Start with what you already know. Before researching, asking AI, or collecting more opinions, load the context, history, patterns, relationships, and assumptions already in your head.
Why people ask this
Messy problems create pressure to move immediately. More research, another meeting, or a quick solution can feel productive before you understand where you already stand.
My answer
Chelsie starts with Think: the internal process of loading knowledge before seeking clarity anywhere else.
Nothing new enters the system yet. The point is to let existing experience, context, previous situations, use cases, relationships, patterns, and assumptions surface naturally.
Think is complete when you can separate two things: what you already know and what you still need clarity on. You do not need to know everything. You need to stop borrowing someone else’s understanding before you have loaded your own.
Common mistake
Beginning with the loudest symptom or asking questions you already know the answers to.
Keep facts separate from assumptions. An assumption belongs in the work, but it still needs to be named and verified.
Try this
Before you open another tab or call another meeting, write down what you know, what you are assuming, and what remains unknown.