Wicked
Problems: Righteous Solutions
Out of a total cost of $37B for the sample set, 75% of [DOD] projects failed or were never used, and only 2% were used without extensive modification. Jarzombek. The 5th Annual JAWS S3 Proceedings, 1999.
Out of a total cost of $37B for the sample set, 75% of [DOD] projects failed or were never used, and only 2% were used without extensive modification. Jarzombek. The 5th Annual JAWS S3 Proceedings, 1999.
nWicked problems have no definitive formulation. Each attempt at creating
a solution changes your understanding of the
problem.
nWicked problems have no stopping rule. The problem-solving process ends
when resources are depleted, stakeholders
lose interest or political realities change.
nSolutions to wicked problems are not true-or-false, but good-or-bad …
getting all stakeholders to agree
that a resolution is "good enough" can be a challenge.
nThere is no
immediate or ultimate test of a solution to a wicked problem.
nEvery implemented solution to a wicked problem has consequences.
nWicked problems don't have a well-described set of potential solutions.
Various stakeholders have differing views of
acceptable solutions.
nEach wicked problem is essentially unique. Part of the art of dealing
with wicked problems is the art of not knowing
too early what type of solution to apply.
nEach wicked problem can be considered a symptom of another problem. A
wicked problem is a set of interlocking
issues and constraints that change over time, embedded in a dynamic social context.
nThe causes of a
wicked problem can be explained in numerous ways.
nThe planner
(designer) has no right to be wrong.
Rittel, H and Webber M. Dilemmas in a General Theory of
Planning. Policy Sciences, Vol. 4. Elsevier, 1973.
Degrace
and Hulet's book, Wicked Problems,
Righteous Solutions, Prentice Hall, 1990
