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Chances are, if you've been designing and developing websites and apps,

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you've had the opportunity to think of ways to solve different problems.

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Whether it comes from a client's business concern or your own technical issues,

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solving problems gives you a chance to take a step forward in a project and learn a lesson for the future.

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But even if you haven't, first step in problem solving is accepting that there is a problem.

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Clients, colleagues, and others may come to you with some kind of issue.

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They may fire off of a frightened, or angry, or freaked out message asking you to fix something yesterday.

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The reason they're coming to you is that they believe you have the expertise to deal with the issue.

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So, whether it's you're responsibility or not, by all means, deal with it. Don't ignore their cries for help,

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and don't file it away. Before anything happens with an issue, you also need to understand the next steps.

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Many places are flexible enough that you can jump right in and solve an issue.

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But, if you work in a company with a specific help process that needs to be followed, point those people in the right direction.

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Tell them what they need to do—contact this person in this department or

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please fill out this support form so we have all the information.

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It might not sound like help, but in companies that rely on a help process like this,

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it's vital to keep data organized so nothing falls through the cracks.

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If you can jump right in, start by getting details about the problem at hand.

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When problems are bit more complex or require some work to solve, you have to gather information and prioritize.

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Again, this comes back to time management flexibility. Does this require your immediate attention?

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Is the issue they brought up really the actual problem? Some problems are actually symptoms of a different issue,

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and this is where your experience can come into play.

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Remember, your clients and colleagues don't always know what's really wrong or how to fix it.

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That's why they came to you in the first place.

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So, take the time to understand the situation. Not all problems require the same fix.

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Details can vary from project to project, and it's important that we do what we can to provide the best care

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when it's our responsibility to fix things.

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At all times, keep communicating. Help create some expectations.

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The problems are usually communicated because something's broken or there's some kind of urgency with the issue or both.

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People need to know when something can be fixed,

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as they often have to report back to others like upset customers or nervous managers.

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Now, if you're working through a problem, always keep in mind what the desired end result should be.

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A crisis is not a time to improve a process midstream or implement an unrelated fix that no one was asking for.

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Stay focused. Deal with the most important part of the issue first.

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If you have further thoughts, report back to your team about how these problems can be avoided in the future

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but do that at a later time.

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With any luck, you'll find an issue and propose a fix that can save others from the same frantic call or Email that you got

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and support people, and customers won't have to deal with the same drama again.

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In the end, be honest. Not all problems can be fixed with a quick code change or rebooting your computer.

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Sometimes, things truly are broken.

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If something is beyond your capabilities or the scope of your job, give as much effort as you can

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and as much as you can afford to give and then point them in the right direction.

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Sometimes a solution may be just one more step away.

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All you have to do is push things along and then have the right person come along and deal with it.

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So, how does this benefit you?

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If you can't work through unexpected problems, you won't be successful as a designer,

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a developer, a project manager, or really any professional.

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Even if the problem is insurmountable, the fact that you tried to fix it means so much more than not trying at all

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but solving problems can be amazing learning experiences

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and will make you even better at whatever you do.