Divide And Conquer: The Best Way To Overcome Complex Problems

Divide and conquer is a strategy of breaking down a problem, power structure, or challenge to help us solve it. It is the art of recursively breaking down a problem into two or more sub-problems, until they become simple enough to be solved directly. The solutions to sub-problems then are combined, solving the whole of the original problem. It’s the basis of many effective problem-solving algorithms and military systems.

The basic premise is, as in the military, so in day-to-day decision-making, to divide an enemy force into smaller, less-powerful groups that can be controlled and ruled as a result. The idea applies broadly to every choice and solution, wherever breaking down a problem into independent, manageable parts is feasible. A project could be subdivided into tasks, a business could break up it’s duties into divisional responsibilities, and a complex problem could be dissected employing a decision tree.

The divide and conquer principle gets a boost in effectiveness if you stack the MECE principle on top of it. MECE translates to: ME, or mutually exclusive with no overlaps; CE, or collectively exhaustive and inclusive of all the information when put together. In other words, identifying buckets of work that, together, address the whole, and individually, do not overlap on one another. This way, the most efficient use of limited resources can be made. Divide and conquer is an invaluable tool for solving difficult problems. It’s simple, but powerful. It decreases what at first seems like a daunting task into trivial sub-issues.

One of the best qualities of the divide and conquer approach is that it can be repeated as many times as needed. If one subdivision is too complex to be actionable, you apply it again and again until it is not. This inherently means that, once mastered, it won’t matter how large a task is assigned to you. Chop it up and serve it in bits. One at a time. And it’s so simple, you can visualize it as a three-step process: (1) divide, breaking the main problem into sub-problems; (2) conquer, each sub-problem being relatively easy to handle in lieu of the whole at once; (3) combine, taking the solutions from sub-problems to combine them into a whole.

Real life implications of divide and conquer:

• Algorithms: arrays are split into halves, sorted, and solved before the results are merged together to make them more efficient;

• Business: large projects are divided into tasks and assigned to teams and individuals, enhancing efficiency and clarity, such as by dividing marketing into social media, content creation, and advertising across separate teams;

• Conflict: addressing a large conflict is way easier when it is isolated into smaller, solvable issues, like breaking down a workplace dispute into individual grievances or complaints and solving them one at a time;

• Military: splitting enemy forces or concentrating your attacks on one unit at a time serves to weaken the larger force, and it is a strategy Napoleon used repeatedly to defeat the greatest armadas of his time;

• Programming: complex systems are distilled into independent modules and/or functions to make it easier for the developer to code;

• Education: large subjects are subdivided into chapters, sections, modules, and then individual concepts for learning, like learning calculus by first mastering limits, then derivatives, then integrals;

• Personal: breaking a large goal down into manageable steps is an industry classic, such as losing ten kilograms by setting weekly calorie, exercise, and meal targets.

Divide and conquer, like any other thinking tool, has it’s ups and downs. Expect manageability, since, by definition, you simplify complex problems and reduce pressure as a result. Tasks will generally be completed faster. Dividing projects makes it easier to scale, since efforts can be replicated across units, and errors are better isolated because they happen within specific parts and/or tasks. However, dividing and recombining tasks can result in a bit of a mess if your team struggles with clear communication. Moreover, if you focus too much on the parts you can overlook the larger context. This is especially bad when one problem depends on another and solving them one-by-one is challenging if not impossible, such as in a supply chain where production depends on the seamless integration of every part.

Thereby you can benefit by applying it, but only by applying it with care: (1) define the problem clearly, as understanding the scope before breaking it down into parts will keep you from overlooking essential elements; (2) divide strategically, ensuring that sub-problems are independent and don’t hinge on one another; (3) prioritize the most critical and foundational sub-problems first, such as starting with structural repairs and not interior design when repairing a home; (4) recombine thoughtfully, paying attention to how individual solutions contribute to the whole, like testing software modules one-by-one prior to integrating them into the system; (5) iterate and optimize, reviewing as necessary to improve efficiency. Examples: a startup founder might handle multiple roles initially but later subdivides their tasks into sales, marketing, and operations among specialists; when organizing an event, breaking it down into components like venue, invitations, catering, and entertainment makes execution smoother, faster, and more precise.

Thought-provoking insights. “Every big problem is just a series of small problems.” is a reminder that even the most daunting challenges can be boiled down into a step-by-step. “Divide not just to conquer, but to understand.” underlines how breaking down problems serves to clarify and deepen comprehension, aside from the other benefits. “The art of recombination determines the success of the division.” how effective the integrated solutions are in the end is just as important as dividing and solving them. Applied judiciously, divide and conquer can transform your decision-making and problem-solving ability. It’ll pave the way for you, if only you let it.

Grab the framework and put divide and conquer into action today.