Everything about Wicked problem
Problem that is difficult or impossible to solve
In planning and policy, a wicked problem is a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. It refers to an idea or problem that cannot be fixed, where there is no single solution to the problem; "wicked" does not indicate evil, but rather resistance to resolution. Another definition is "a problem whose social complexity means that it has no determinable stopping point". Because of complex interdependencies, the effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create other problems. Due to their complexity, wicked problems are often characterized by organized irresponsibility. Wikipedia →
🧭 Start here: a 6-step reading path
- Read the overview: Wicked problemA 5-minute orientation
- Skim a recent paper: The Wicked Problem of Physician Well-BeingInfluential work since 2022
- Pick up a classic book: Wicked Problems in Public PolicyThe most-reprinted book on the subject
- Read the landmark paper: Ecosystem management as a wicked problemCited 461 times
- Go sideways: Problem structuring methodsA closely related topic
- Go sideways: Issue-based information systemA closely related topic
📖 Definitions
Noun A problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize.
🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)
Ecosystem management as a wicked problem
The wicked problem of AI and assessment
Climate change as a wicked social problem
Wicked conflict: Using wicked problem thinking for holistic management of conservation conflict
The wicked problem of healthcare student attrition
Eutrophication as a ‘wicked’ problem
Climate Change as a Wicked Problem
The Corona crisis: a wicked problem
🆕 Influential since 2022
📚 Books worth reading
Wicked Problems in Public PolicyBrian Head · 2022
Wicked Problems – Social MessesTom Ritchey · 2011
Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.
🔗 Related topics
- Problem structuring methods Problem structuring methods (PSMs) are a group of techniques used to model or to map the nature or structure of a situation or state of affairs that some…
- Issue-based information system The issue-based information system (IBIS) is an argumentation-based approach to clarifying wicked problems—complex, ill-defined problems that involve multiple…
- Interactive planning Interactive planning is a concept developed by Russell L. Ackoff, an American theorist, early proponent of the field of operations research and recognized…
- Morphological analysis (problem-solving) Morphological analysis or general morphological analysis is a method for exploring possible solutions to a multi-dimensional, non-quantified complex problem…
- Horst Rittel Horst Wilhelm Johannes Rittel (14 July 1930 – 9 July 1990) was a design theorist and university professor. He is best known for popularizing the concept…
- Design methods Design methods are procedures, techniques, aids, or tools for designing. They offer a number of different kinds of activities that a designer might use…
- Systemic design Systemic design is an interdiscipline that integrates systems thinking and design practices to address complex, multi-stakeholder problems. The field distinguis…
- Systems-oriented design Systems-oriented design (SOD) uses system thinking in order to capture the complexity of systems addressed in design practice. The main mission of SOD…