Abstraction

Abstraction is the process of focusing on the most important and relevant parts of a problem, while ignoring unnecessary details. After a problem has been broken down through decomposition, abstraction helps identify which parts actually matter. The goal is to reduce complexity by keeping attention on what is essential and hiding what is not. Abstraction can also involve creating a simplified representation of a problem, making it easier to understand and solve.

Why It Matters

Focusing on irrelevant details makes problem-solving more complicated
Abstraction helps reduce cognitive load and clarify thinking
It allows solutions to be designed without being overwhelmed by complexity
It highlights the core aspects of a problem while hiding unnecessary details

The purpose of abstraction is not to remove complexity entirely, but to manage it by emphasizing what truly matters.

A Simple Example

Imagine you want to design a car that looks good and visually appealing.

In this case, you focus only on visual elements:

The color of the car
The shape of the body
The wheels and the lights

You do not need to think about the engine, internal mechanics, or performance details. Those aspects exist, but they are not relevant to the visual design problem.