Wicked problem

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The concept of "wicked problems" was originally proposed by H. J. Rittel (a pioneering theorist of design and planning, and late professor at the University of California, Berkeley) and M. Webber [1] in a seminal treatise for social planning. Rittel expounded on the nature of ill-defined design and planning problems which he termed "wicked" (ie. messy, circular, aggressive) to contrast against the relatively "tame" problems of mathematics, chess, or puzzle solving.

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[edit] Definition attempt

Wicked problems have incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements; and solutions to them are often difficult to recognize as such because of complex interdependencies. Rittel and Webber stated that while attempting to solve a wicked problem, the solution of one of its aspects may reveal or create another, even more complex problem.

[edit] Problem examples

Classic examples of wicked problems include economic, environmental, and political issues (for an extreme case, consider what it would take to "solve" terrorism, where even the term terrorism is highly controversial and difficult to define). Problems whose solution require large groups of individuals to change their mindsets and behaviors are likely to be a wicked problem. For examples of analyses of world-scale wicked problems, you can read about the work done by the Millennium Project of the American Council of the United Nations University.

[edit] IBIS and successors

Rittel developed what he called the "Issues Based Information System" (IBIS) framework (which enables groups to decompose problems into questions, ideas and arguments), to better deal with wicked problems. Jeff Conklin Ph.D., a computer scientist, while expanding upon IBIS [2], developed gIBIS ("graphical IBIS") while at the Microelectronics & Computing Consortium (MCC) in Austin, Texas. The gIBIS prototype was subsequently turned into a product called QuestMap by Corporate Memory Systems Inc., a spinoff from MCC. This has subsequently evolved into the Compendium hypermedia concept mapping tool. During QuestMap's product life, Conklin also developed Dialogue Mapping as a facilitation skill for using tools in meetings, designed to help groups further understand, and help solve wicked problems. Dialogue Mapping was subsequently integrated with work in knowledge representation and business process re-engineering (Al Selvin and Maarten Sierhuis, originally at NYNEX Science & Technology) to create Conversational Modelling which Compendium is designed to support. Compendium's development is coordinated at the Open University's Knowledge Media Institute, and its source code is freely available.

[edit] Further developments

In the last decade, other computer scientists [3] have pointed out that software development shares many properties with other design practices (particularly that people-, process-, and technology-problems have to be considered equally), and have incorporated Rittel's concepts into their software design methodologies. The design and integration of complex software-defined services that use the Web (Web services) can be construed as an evolution from previous models of software design, and therefore becomes a wicked problem also.

Morphological analysis is one of the principal methods employed for structuring and analysing wicked problems [4][5]. System dynamics and systems thinking are often used to better understand wicked problems.

[edit] Formal definition

Rittel & Webber's formulation of wicked problems specifies ten characteristics, perhaps best considered in the context of social policy planning:

  1. There is no definitive formulation of a wicked problem
  2. Wicked problems have no stopping rule
  3. Solutions to wicked problems are not true-or-false, but good-or-bad
  4. There is no immediate and no ultimate test of a solution to a wicked problem
  5. Every solution to a wicked problem is a "one-shot operation"; because there is no opportunity to learn by trial-and-error, every attempt counts significantly
  6. Wicked problems do not have an enumerable (or an exhaustively describable) set of potential solutions, nor is there a well-described set of permissible operations that may be incorporated into the plan
  7. Every wicked problem is essentially unique
  8. Every wicked problem can be considered to be a symptom of another problem
  9. The existence of a discrepancy representing a wicked problem can be explained in numerous ways. The choice of explanation determines the nature of the problem's resolution
  10. The planner has no right to be wrong (Planners are liable for the consequences of the actions they generate)


According to Conklin, the four defining characteristics of wicked problems are:

  1. The problem is not understood until after formulation of a solution.
  2. Stakeholders have radically different world views and different frames for understanding the problem.
  3. Constraints and resources to solve the problem change over time.
  4. The problem is never solved.


The following characteristics (some derivative of Rittel & Webber's above) further describe wicked problems:

  • Wicked problems do not have an exhaustive set of potential solutions.
  • Every wicked problem can be considered to be a symptom of another problem.
  • Discrepancies in representing a wicked problem can be explained in numerous ways--the choice of explanation in turn determines the nature of the problem's resolution.
  • Every wicked problem is essentially unique--lessons-learned are hard to transfer across to other problems.
  • Wicked problems are often "solved" (as well as they can be...) through group efforts.
  • Wicked problems require inventive/creative solutions.
  • Every implemented solution to a wicked problem has consequences, and may cause additional problems.
  • Wicked problems have no stopping rule(s).
  • Solutions to wicked problems are not true-or-false, but instead better, worse, or good enough.
  • There is no immediate and no ultimate test of a solution to a wicked problem.
  • The planner or designer (solving the problem) has no inherent right to solve the problem, and no permission to make mistakes.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^  Rittel, H., and M. Webber; "Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning" pp 155-169, Policy Sciences, Vol. 4, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Inc., Amsterdam, 1973. [Reprinted in N. Cross (ed.), Developments in Design Methodology, J. Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1984, pp. 135-144.]
  2. ^  Rittel, H.W.J.; "Second Generation Design Methods," Interview in Design Methods Group, 5th Anniversary Report, DMG Occasional Paper 1, 1972, pp. 5-10. [Reprinted in N. Cross (ed.), Developments in Design Methodology, J. Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1984, pp. 317-327.]
  3. ^  Conklin Ph.D., Jeff; "Dialog Mapping: An Approach for Wicked Problems," CogNexus Institute, 2003
  4. ^  DeGrace, Peter, and Hulet Stahl, L.; "Wicked Problems, Righteous Solutions: A Catalog of Modern Engineering Paradigms," Prentice Hall PTR; 1st edition, February 12, 1998, ISBN 0-13-590126-X
  5. ^  Ritchey, T.; Wicked Problems. Structuring Social Messes with Morphological Analysis (2005). From the Swedish Morphological Society
  6. ^  Ritchey, T.: "Problem Structuring using Computer-Aided Morphological Analysis". Journal of the Operational Research Society, Special Issue on Problem Structuring Methods, March, 2006. Available in PDF for JORS subscribers at: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jors/journal/v57/n7/abs/2602177a.html.

[edit] External links

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