I write about my everyday life as optimization expert, where I translate business requirements to mathematical formulars, then to software -- and all the way back again.
I don’t tell my doctor the whole truth – and that’s how I work too
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Hello Reader! At the dentist, I had to fill a form. I wrote "Software Developer" as my profession. The doctor was satisfied — he knew I worked at a computer and not with heavy machinery. Exactly the information he needed. But my work is much more complex. If someone asks me at a party, I don’t say “Software Developer.” My job is about finding concepts, communicating with teams, and solving problems. Writing code is just the final step — implementing a good solution. So why don’t I tell the doctor I’m a chemical engineer or consultant? Because that would lead to the wrong assumptions—dangerous chemicals, heavy machinery. Instead, I keep it simple. I apply the same principle at work. A computer doesn’t need every detail to optimize a production process, and a team leader doesn’t want to be overwhelmed with mathematical jargon. It’s about providing the right information at the right time—only what truly matters. Less is often more. The goal: a simple solution that works in the long-term. Until the next iteration! Tim Varelmann Complicated Decisions - Simply Automated! Follow me on LinkedIn |
Bluebird Briefings
I write about my everyday life as optimization expert, where I translate business requirements to mathematical formulars, then to software -- and all the way back again.
Hello Reader! Right now, across the United States, Canada and Mexico, millions of people are behaving in ways they would never admit to at the office. Norwegian fans are rowing on an escalator like it's an Olympic final. Dutch fans are doing 'naar links naar rechts' in the street, a whole crowd swaying left, then right, as one. Egyptian fans are dancing through the streets of Vancouver after Egypt's first ever World Cup win, Mo Salah and the whole squad right there with them. This is the...
Hello Reader! Should your forecast lie to your optimizer? It sounds absurd. But sit with it for a moment. + first briefing of the month --> find a personal update from me at the end! The Forecast That Wasn't Wrong Enough You've probably been there. The forecast looked reasonable. The model ran cleanly. Then demand came in stronger than expected, capacity hit its ceiling, and the business absorbed the hit: penalties, backlog, unhappy customers, maybe some lost accounts. The natural, human...
Hello Reader! Optimization Has a PR Problem! The moment people hear words like mixed-integer programming or convex optimization, their brain quietly shuts the door. It sounds abstract. Mathematical. Slightly dangerous. Yet the funny thing is this: The core ideas behind optimization can be explained with just three surprisingly simple mental pictures. Today I’ll show you those three metaphors. And at the end I also have a small personal update for the start of the new month. You need to...