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Tag: System integration

Determinism vs Nondeterminism

Written by Robin Wilde on . Posted in Aktuellt, Tech blog, Uncategorised.

Determinism vs Nondeterminism

Determinism or nondeterminism, two concepts that shape everything from science to philosophy. But what do they mean for system integration?

Image description: Sudoku, easy to verify, hard to solve.

Determinism vs Nondeterminism

The P vs NP problem

There is a classic and important problem in computer science called the “P versus NP problem.” As an aspiring developer and former math teacher, I was intrigued by the problem and specifically the terminology. First, let me try to explain the problem.

  • P stands for a problem that can be solved in a reasonable time by a computer (Polynomial time).

  • NP stands for a problem that can be verified in a reasonable time but not solved in a reasonable time (Nondeterministic Polynomial time).

For example, a sudoku puzzle can be verified quickly and deterministically. That is, if you want to check if a solution is correct, you can follow a given algorithm that will always take the same amount of time and will always give you the same answer (for the same puzzle).

To solve the puzzle, though, you must either use a nondeterministic approach and try different methods depending on your own hunches and feelings, or be prepared to spend a very, very long time trying to come up with a deterministic algorithm, that is identical for all sudokus, and then following it.

Why this matters

The question of the problem is whether P = NP. That is, if we can find a quick way to verify a solution to the problem, does that then mean that there is a quick way to solve the problem? The question is, as of now, unanswered, and if it were to be answered and found that P = NP, global chaos would likely follow.

“Imagine that hackers could find your password as quickly as they could verify that it was correct. Not good.”

Most modern cryptography relies on the fact that it is harder to find a solution than to verify it.

Another interesting aspect of the problem is that if you solve one special case of the problem (for example, the sudoku problem), you solve all cases of the problem. So if you are an agent of chaos, and, like the Joker of Batman, would like to see the world burn; make sure to spend some time on trying to solve this!

Clarifying Determinism vs Nondeterminism

  • Determinism: If the starting conditions are the same, the outcome will always be the same.

  • Nondeterminism: The possibility of different outcomes even though starting conditions remain the same.

In computer science the cause is often randomness; in other contexts the cause may be ascribed to free will.

From philosophy to system integration

Determinism vs. Nondeterminism is (and has been) a hot topic in fields ranging from physics to philosophy, but the reason I am bringing it up is actually the field of System Integration.

It seems like a no-brainer that integration flows should always be deterministic; that is, if you input A and get output B, you should always get output B when you input A.

Where Nondeterminism fits in system integration

Well, believe it or not, there is room for nondeterminism even in integration, where you generally expect predictable results.

How, you ask? Join us at our Agent in a Day workshop at Contica on October 22 at 16:00 on Masthamnsgatan 1, and we will try to convince you that this is the case.

You might even find out that your current business processes might be more nondeterministic than you think. And that getting more control over that nondeterminism is a good thing.

Register here for the event – Only 50 slots available!

Footnote

The “P vs NP problem” is a complex and nuanced problem and I had to do some simplification to avoid being too verbose here. If you want to discuss the problem further or want to know more about the event, make sure to reach out!

Image description: Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein, two physicists with different views on determinism.

<>Reach out if you’d like to discuss determinism, nondeterminism or how AI can help you in your integration landscapeintegration challenges

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Why Integration Specialists Are the Doctors Your Business Needs

Written by Robin Wilde on . Posted in Aktuellt, Insikter, Tech blog.

Why Integration Specialists Are the Doctors Your Business Needs

Integration specialists should be like doctors asking the right questions to diagnose business pain and then designing the correct technical prescription.

When I went to the doctor recently, she started by asking one simple question: “Why are you here?”
After I gave a short description of my symptoms, she asked me to tell her more about some of them. She didn’t begin by asking me what I wanted her to do, prescribing a pill or naming a diagnosis, she listened, probed a little, and then used what I’d said to form a plan.

As a patient at the doctor’s office, I feel comfortable that they know what’s best for me. I don’t arrive expecting to know exactly what the problem is or which medicine I need. Sometimes I have an idea, or I’ve seen similar symptoms online. Even then, I’m happy to let the doctor do their job. And I would never go to a cardiologist for a broken leg. Both are doctors, but they have different specialties.

This is exactly why you should think of integration specialists as doctors.

Think of Us as Your “Tech Physicians”

Integration specialists aren’t interested in proving you wrong or insisting on our favourite tool. We have a job: to make systems work together so your people can do their work more easily. To do that well, we need to understand what really hurts.

When you walk into the clinic (or, in our case, pick up the phone or open a ticket), we begin the same way a good physician does:

  • We ask why you’re there.
  • We listen to the symptoms you describe.
  • We dig a little deeper to understand the context and severity.
  • We propose a plan that fits your actual needs—not what looks cool or what someone else has used. Sometimes your needs demand that we’re a group of specialists concluding together, that doesn’t mean that we don’t know what we’re doing. Only that we are experts in different tools.

What we want to know (and why it matters)

You might have read a blog, had a tip from a friend, or seen a flashy demo at a conference. Those are useful inputs but they’re not a diagnosis. Good integration is about aligning technical choices with your business reality.

Just like medicine, the “best” treatment is the one that helps the patient get better, not the one that looks the most impressive on paper or the one that you are most aware of. A search result, a tip from a friend, or a flashy tool demo can point you in a direction, but it’s rarely the real cure. We bring expertise to sort through the noise and apply the right treatment for your situation.

Below are the kinds of questions an integration specialist will start asking and why each matter:

  • Where does it hurt most?
  • What is your solution (if you have one) unable to do today that you want to do?
  • What’s non-negational?
  • How and when should we have a follow-up call?

So, instead of bringing the image you have gotten from your friend who works with “computers”, come to us with a clear definition of what you have today and how you want it to work.

We don’t come in with a one-size-fits-all solution. We come with a listening ear, diagnostic questions, and the aim of making your life easier, just like a good doctor.

So, the next time you reach out, take a number, sit back, and tell us: why are you here?

<>Vill du ha hjälp med er verksamhets smärta? Prata med Amanda!

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