A phrase I didn’t know I needed:
There’s a term in programming called “rubber-ducking” where, when struggling on a particularly difficult problem, a programmer will sometimes turn to the person next to them and describe it (hoping the other person has a solution).
While describing the issue the programmer will inadvertently solve their own problem, say “oh…never mind…”, then turn around and keep working. The act of trying to describe and articulate the problem causes them to interrogate it more deeply.
The reason this is referred to as “rubber-ducking” is that the other person could easily have been replaced with a rubber duck.
- Herman Martinus, creator of the no-nonsense Bear blogging platform