

Heuristic vs algorithmic approaches - dangoldin
http://dangoldin.com/2014/02/15/heuristic-vs-algorithmic-approaches/

======
rk17
Am I mistaken or does algorithmic in this case simply translate to actually
formulating a model that accurately represents your problem? I agree that the
heuristic approach might be quicker and is great for filling gaps in your
formal models, but actually getting a good description of the problem does
seem like the smart thing to do.

~~~
dangoldin
I guess I should have been clearer. I think having the right formulation of
the problem helps both approaches. The algorithmic approach is one that tends
to rely more on quantitative/statistical properties and less on a rule of
thumb.

Thanks for the note - I'll update the post.

~~~
rk17
Thanks for the feedback. I'm still a little confused, because in my
understanding heuristics are also based on statistical properties; e.g. Is
there a strong correlation between property x and y as measured by the amount
of click-throughs for example.

Both approaches deal with quantitative properties. But one assumes that causes
are too difficult to map out and will try to find the most useful
correlations, the other will be frustrated by how hard it is to accurately
model reality and will end up using heuristics to whatever degree necessary to
patch up their incomplete model. I prefer the second, but I guess the author
of the article is correct: Whatever works for you...

~~~
dangoldin
Yea it's a bit tough to figure out the precise language for my point so that's
why I wanted to show an example but that wasn't that much better.

I guess it does translate into something more along the lines of having
something that you can explain and back up vs something that feels right.
Having some basic heuristics to adjust the algorithm would be the latter but
modeling out the actual environment would be the former. There's a time and a
place for both but the idea is that for longer term projects you want to take
the more rigorous, more difficult approach.

I think the biggest value is framing the problem properly and understanding
the space. Once that's done the approaches can be modified and switched around
pretty easily.

