EN 
DE Is intuition a divine revelation, an energetic message from beyond, does it come "from our gut," or is it "in our urine"? As an engineer, I prefer the following explanation: Intuition is the result of a highly complex, interconnected logic, programmed throughout our lives by billions of small learning steps in our brains. What makes intuition so questionable for primarily analytical thinkers is the fact that a result appears in our consciousness without us being able to understand its origin.
Precisely because intuition usually delivers meaningful results even without conscious analysis, it is a vital ability of our brain. Our analytical mind is too slow for many situations, and our consciousness can only grasp a few connections at once. The world is far too complex and dynamic to succeed using these means alone. Those who fail to utilize their intuitive abilities not only squander a large portion of their mental potential but also diminish their chances of survival, both literally and figuratively.
Intuition arises from the interconnectedness of all the experiences we have had in our lives. Our senses constantly provide millions of pieces of information, which our brain sorts, prioritizes, and stores in a network of billions of nerve cells. When this system produces a result, it is highly likely to be relevant, at least within our available range of experience. Intuition often delivers more realistic results than a dispassionate analysis because it integrates all dimensions of human thought and feeling. This has been repeatedly confirmed by scientific studies.
I don't mean to encourage you to blindly follow your intuition. You should simply take it seriously, even if the reason for this "gut feeling" remains largely hidden.
Use intuition wisely
It is highly recommended to support this ability through our work methods. For example, graphic or modeling tools can help boost our intuition. Prototypes, physical models, and computer simulations offer similar advantages. They allow the brain to simultaneously consider both a holistic (intuitive) and a detail-oriented (analytical) perspective. This aligns perfectly with the brain's division of labor.
Due to the highly interconnectedness of brain cells, our brain is able to combine analytical and intuitive thinking very effectively. We don't yet know exactly how this happens. Intuition very often provides us with an idea that can then be confirmed or refuted through detailed analysis. This back-and-forth between analysis and intuition leads to a workable compromise between thinking speed and accuracy.
These advantages have been proven in working methods in architecture, mechanical engineering, and plant engineering for centuries. Unlike buildings, machines, and plants, software remains in an intangible state, but here too we can map ideas from our minds into spatial and temporal dimensions. The better these dimensions are visualized, the better the interplay between analysis and intuition works.
Tools, methods, and processes in software development should therefore be selected based on the extent to which they support both intuitive orientation and detailed analysis in space and time. Take a moment to examine your work methods and environment to see how well they actually support your analytical and intuitive abilities.
Tips to awaken your intuitive abilities: Request them now!
Do you have any other good ideas? Write to me! I look forward to your suggestions at [link/email address]. denkanstoss@microconsult.de.
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Food for thought:
Column by Peter Siwon about the human side of project work
Peter Siwon: Systemic project management
