It is not enough to simply say, “When you face this problem, apply this solution.” For you to truly learn from a pattern, the pattern has to document why the problem is difficult to solve, consider possible solutions that in fact don’t work well, and explain why the solution offered is the best available. Likewise, the patterns need to connect to each other so as to walk you from one problem to the next. In this way, the pattern form can be used to teach not just what solutions to apply but also how to solve problems the authors could not have predicted.
