In one line: Some problems can’t be definitively defined, never finish, and have no right answer, only better or worse ones. They have to be worked iteratively, with the stakeholders, rather than “solved.”
Core idea
Planning scholars Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber [1] contrasted tame problems, which can be clearly stated and definitively solved (like a chess puzzle or a circuit calculation), with wicked problems, such as urban planning, public policy and organizational strategy. John Camillus later argued that much of business strategy is wicked [2], which explains why traditional strategic planning so often disappoints.
How it works
Traits of a wicked problem (paraphrasing Rittel and Webber’s characteristics):
- There is no definitive formulation; understanding the problem and solving it happen together.
- There is no stopping rule: you stop when you run out of time or money, not when it’s solved.
- Solutions are better or worse, not true or false, and judged differently by different stakeholders.
- Every attempt changes the problem, and there is no undo.
- Each problem is essentially unique, and often a symptom of another problem.
Working wicked problems (in the spirit of Camillus):
- Involve stakeholders broadly and early, since they define the problem as much as the experts do.
- Document and revisit assumptions, because the problem will shift.
- Anchor on identity: decide who you are and what you stand for, rather than chasing every opportunity.
- Use feed-forward thinking: imagine futures and work back (see Backcasting).
- Take small, reversible steps and learn from each.
In practice
Engineering organizations face wicked problems in strategy, culture change, large infrastructure, and any decision with many stakeholders and shifting goals. A recurring reflection from the readings is that highly systematic methods, such as structured reviews and fixed plans, are well suited to tame problems but can be counterproductive for wicked ones, where they create false confidence. Knowing which kind of problem you face is half the battle.
Questions to ask yourself
- Is my problem tame (solvable) or wicked (only improvable)?
- Who are the stakeholders whose definition of the problem I haven’t heard?
- What small, reversible step would teach us the most?
Connections
- Related: Complexity, Design Thinking, Business Strategy.
- Tools: Backcasting, Political Mapping.
- Capabilities exercised: Inquiry, Negotiating and Compromise, Vision.
Sources
- The original account of wicked problems [1]
- Camillus (2008) Strategy as a Wicked Problem [2]