Higher order thinking is more important and rare.

An aggressive first principles approach often leads otherwise well-intentioned technologists into strategic / ideological dead-ends.

Do we do things because it's the "right thing" to do in the moment, or because of the final outcome that will eventually result?

The most ideal answer is somewhere in the middle. I am far more interested in the total area under the curve than a single instant in time.

In lieu of intentional higher order thinking, simply working backward from your customer on a regular basis will generally accomplish the same outcomes.