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Introduction to Computer Science

Introduction

Introduction to Computer ScienceIntroduction
Photo of a classroom with moveable, whiteboard desks, chairs, standing whiteboards, a television, computers, and paper and markers.
Figure 2.1 A work environment, such as this modifiable “sp.ace” at Johnson Space Center where furniture can move and any surfaces can be written on, can encourage computational thinking and lead to innovation. (credit: modification of “The sp.ace in Building 29 at Johnson Space Center” by Christopher Gerty, NASA JSC/APPEL Knowledge Services, Public Domain)

Chapter Outline

2.1 Computational Thinking
2.2 Architecting Solutions with Adaptive Design Reuse in Mind
2.3 Evolving Architectures into Useable Products

In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and innovation in various domains, computational thinking promotes design reusability and is a fundamental skill set essential for problem-solving. This chapter illustrates how computational thinking, through practical insights and theoretical frameworks, facilitates the creation of reusable designs that improve the qualities (e.g., scalability, efficiency) of solutions.

Developing innovative solutions to business problems today involves reinventing, rethinking, and rewiring existing business solutions and leveraging the latest technologies to assemble competitive products that solve business problems. It is key to apply computational thinking throughout this process to tackle new problems in specific areas. Computational thinking is a problem-solving and cognitive process rooted in principles derived from computer science. It involves breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts and devising systematic approaches to solve them.

Adaptive design reuse also makes it possible to quickly assemble business solutions by assembling existing design building blocks that require minimal customizations to be a good match for the problem at hand. TechWorks is a company focused on developing innovative products and services. TechWorks is looking to take advantage of computational thinking and adaptive design reuse to enable the creation of next-generation, secure, super society, intelligent, autonomous business solutions. At TechWorks, a skilled team of engineers, data scientists, and designers is on a mission to revolutionize society. Their goal is to create advanced and secure autonomous business solutions. The team believes in the power of computational thinking and adaptive design reuse for success.

Led by the CIO, the team gathered in a cutting-edge laboratory to tackle challenges in transportation, security, and automation. They embraced computational thinking by applying algorithms and machine learning to analyze data. Recognizing the efficiency of adaptive design reuse, the team explored successful projects like robotics and self-driving cars for inspiration. These projects have become the foundation for their own innovation. With minimal adjustments, they seamlessly integrate these building blocks into comprehensive solutions such as self-driven cars that can smoothly navigate the city, drones that can monitor public spaces, and robotics that automate tasks. The company plans to bring their vision of the future to life by transforming cities into hubs of interconnected, intelligent systems. Knowing that innovation is a continuous process that requires rapidly evolving solutions, the team faced challenges while implementing their initial prototype. However, they are able to adapt their super society solutions using computational thinking and adaptive design reuse to ensure that they stay ahead of technological advancements. TechWorks is a symbol of the successful integration of forward-thinking strategies to create secure and technologically advanced super society solutions.

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