Decision Making / 4 / 4.9

4.9 CHARACTERISTICS OF WICKED PROBLEMS AND STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THEM

The nature of wicked problems has been introduced. The review contained in this chapter is intended to provide insights into addressing such problems. Wicked problems are complex and systemic. They can be insidious, growing like a cancer. When we become aware of them, we may find they are difficult to resolve. We might make what we believe to be a valid change, implement what appears to be rational and logical policy or strategy, only to find we still have problems. They change form, adapt, reorganise, and reappear as a mutation. Thus ‘wicked’ is an apt description.

Wicked problems are ubiquitous and inescapable. We live very closely with them in our daily lives. We are often an integral part. Unlike physical problems where laws, such as Newton’s Laws of Motion govern behaviour over time and ensure both predictability and repeatability, when people are involved there can be many surprises. With these ‘human systems’ it can be exceedingly difficult to predict behaviour.

The concept of wicked problems is not new. Rittel (1972) defined a set of properties distinguishing wicked problems from others he describes as ‘tame’. Mason and Mitroff, (1981) use Rittel’s definitions. They will suffice as a starting set.

The following list has been augmented on the basis of the research underlying this book, but is based on Rittel’s original criteria for discriminating between tame and wicked problems.