Abstraction and

Solution Modeling
Digital Innovation

Mario Simaremare, S.Kom., M.Sc.

Program Studi Sarjana Sistem Informasi
Institut Teknologi Del
Objectives

• The objective of this session is the following:

• The students are able to elaborate the importance of
abstracting or modeling solution.
• The students are able to abstract or model solution.

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Outlines

1. Recap of previous meeting.

2. Refreshing what you have learned so far.
3. Abstraction.
4. Solution modeling.

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Going Back Through Time

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Computational Thinking

• It is a thought process to develop the best possible solution.

• started by understanding the problem,
finished with a precise and sound solution.

• The solution will be carried out by an agent.

• Agent could be: me, you, us, or … computer.

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Why CT becomes important?

• VUCA world.
• Volatility – things a changing.
• Uncertainty – forecasting is no longer that easy.
• Complexity – more to be considered.
• Ambiguity – best practices are fading away.

• Smart people are out there.

• But still problem solver is rare to find.

Reference: https://www.vuca-world.org/
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Four CT Core Principles

• Decomposition.
• Divide and conquer.
• Abstraction. Algorithm Decomposition
• For a better understanding.
• Pattern Recognition.
• See if there is a pattern of problem
to find existing proven solution. Pattern
Abstraction
Recognition
• Algorithm.
• Define the precise step-by-step
solution.

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Abstraction

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Abstraction: A Definition

• It is a way to express an idea in a specific context while at the

same time suppressing details irrelevant in that context.

• Why this stuff is important?

• Remember that solution should be available for any kind
of agent. Who’s the agent?
• In a general sense, an abstract model is much understandable
compared to the detail and complex structure.
• The solution then translated into structure
that is better suited the targeted agent.

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An Example

• Jabodetabek’s Commuter Line Routes.

• Unrelated information is
completely stripped out.
• Schedules, ticket price, etc.

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Solution Modeling

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Consider A Problem

• I am hungry, what I have are the following:

• A cooked rice.
• A cooking set.
• A kilo of frozen shrimp.
• Plenty ingredients.

• Solution: having a meal with …

• Seafood fried rice? Fried shrimp? Grilled shrimp?

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The Recipe

1. unfreeze the shrimps.

2. prepare the basic ingredients.
3. mix the shrimps with the prepared ingredients.
4. prepare the fryer with enough oil.
5. put a handful of shrimps into the fryer.
6. when the shrimps turn to yellow (about after 3 mins),
remove them from the fryer and drain them.
7. repeat the 5th and 6th steps until no more shrimps left.
8. clean things up.
9. eating time.

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Consider Another Problem

• I am hungry, what I have are the following:

• A cooked rice.
• A cooking set.
• A kilo of frozen shrimp chicken.
• Plenty ingredients.

• Solution: having a meal with …

• Seafood fried rice? Fried shrimp? Grilled shrimp?
• Chicken fried rice? Fried chicken? Grilled chicken?

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The Recipe

1. unfreeze the chicken.

2. prepare the basic ingredients.
3. mix the chicken with the prepared ingredients.
4. prepare the fryer with enough oil.
5. put a handful of chicken into the fryer.
6. when the chicken turns to yellow (about after 3 mins),
remove it from the fryer and drain it.
7. repeat the 5th and 6th steps until no more chicken left.
8. clean things up.

Do you find any similarity?

9. eating time.

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Relate Back to CT

• We have seen the solutions for two very similar problem.

• The solutions were written in an abstract level.

• CT requires the solution should be able to be carried

out by any type of agent.
• Can our two previous solution fulfill the requirement?

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Solution Modeling

• Remember, we are going to make the solution

as abstract as possible.

• Some sort of notation or modeling is needed

for consistent understanding.

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Solution Modeling

• To model algorithm, it is very common to use:

• Formal, pseudocode and flowchart diagram.

• Pseudocode is very close to the actual code.

• Translating to code is very easy.

• Flowchart is more visual to understand.

• It is visual, very good for beginners.

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 For Further Look

https://youtu.be/ftjY2oQdP5s https://youtu.be/9T9fEyqRD3o

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To-dos

1. Understand the objective of solution modeling.

2. Start model a solution to fix a problem around you!
3. Watch the other two videos (Visual Programming)

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References

Riley D., Hunt, K. A. (2014). Computational Thinking for the

Modern Problem Solver. Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Wassberg, J. (2020). Computer Programming for Absolute
Beginners. Packt.
Flowgorithm. http://www.flowgorithm.org/

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Thank
you

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