Last night, a couple of mates and I were in a dialogue, the subject of which was 'how does one start tackling a programming problem?' This is a question plenty of beginners start off with and never really get a good answer for.

So what does bring about the great inspiration for solving problems? Why, preparation of course. The best solution to fixing unsureness is to 'train' the mind to get used to thinking about the most awkward and flabbergasting of problems - fantastic ones at that. If you ask me, some such problems could be:

• How would a conversation with your mate's flip-flops go?
• How would you live life as a fish?
• What would a journey through your cat's alimentary canal reveal?
• What would life be like as a hair follicle on Jenna Jameson's thigh?
• What would aliens look like, or say when we meet them?

Once you come up with that earth-shatteringly bothersome problem, go about solving it in the most creative way you can think of. The trick is to make up as many projections as possible. In fact, you can even make this a game between a bunch of fellow-accomplices - coming up with the most number of creative solutions in a given period of time for instance.

Once one gets acquainted with using plain english to describe solutions, one should start using the tools of the trade. Start off with a pseudo-language, such as a heavily mutilated english dialect which is just sufficient to convey the bare logic of one's musings. For instance, in the case of Jenna's hair follicle:

• Light creeps in
• Bright light hits
• Black hair greeting
• Is Jenna blond?
• If yes, barf!

The next step is the gradual use of standardized designing tools such as flowcharts, booch notations, UML, etc. The trick in using the tools is to break up the problem/scenario into as many basic components as possible and fitting together these components with the fewest interconnections. Once one gets familiar with solving unearthly problems using these modeling tools, one will find dealing with more realistic ones less taxing.

The real purpose of teaching yourself to be creative is to increase the ability of approaching a problem with more conviction. It is confidence that will really trigger those creative fluids, not just knowledge alone.