Named heuristics are fun. Here is one that has been make itself apparent to me over the last week which I have started to think of as the ‘Deep Bruise’ heuristic:

Sometimes a really deep bruise is necessary to actually learn something.

I play lacrosse, which even though it is a non-contact league (I’m not crazy) there are still plenty of opportunities to inflict pain on yourself. Take last week for instance.

One of the things you are not supposed to do as a player when in the offensive end is get in the lane of a shot from someone else on your team. When on defense, sure, but not offense. Guess what I forgot. I was to the left of the goalie and the ball was in front of him. There was someone defending me where I was so I decided I should be on the other side to both escape them and possibly wrangle a zone coverage penalty (they had already been warned). So I start running in front of the crease to get to the other side — and cut through the lane. Now, the player on my team trying to get the ball had his back to the goalie and I figured when he got the ball he would take steps forward to clear the crowd then turn around and either shoot or pass. Except he got the ball and fired it behind him (see where this is going?) and straight into my leg. I’ve been hit in worse places with greater velocity, but it did sting a bit and it was completely my fault.

Five days after the fact, the bruise is really only now starting to appear which meant it was pretty deep (and means most of my thigh is a weird yellow/brown/purple which is oh so pleasant) and it somewhat sore.

I like to think that the next time I decide to be on the other side of the net for a play that I will run behind the net rather than cut through the shooting lane. I don’t need another bruise which could be a lot worse next time (there was someone on my team who plays professionally and can shoot FAST).

Now for the ‘Deep Bruise’ heuristic:

You will miss bugs when testing. And when you do both your product and your reputation take a bruising. The trick is of course to turn those bruises into a learning experience and not to get bruised in the same way again.