Kidlin's Law

If you can write the problem down clearly, then the matter is half solved

The principle emphasizes clarity of thought. Many times, problems feel overwhelming because they remain vague or abstract in our minds. By articulating and writing them down, you break the problem into tangible, specific elements. This makes it easier to analyze, prioritize, and find solutions.

In short: Writing clarifies thinking. Once a problem is defined on paper, the path to solving it often becomes much clearer.

Kidlin’s Law fits beautifully into software engineering because so much of our work is about clarifying problems before solving them.

In software engineering, writing problems and solutions in detail (tickets, design docs, bug reports, test cases) makes them “half solved” because everyone understands exactly what must be done.