Understanding wicked problems in climate change and sustainability
Understanding the Problem Spectrum
Not all problems are created equal. They can be classified based on their predictability and the expertise required to solve them.
| Problem Type | Analogy | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | Following a recipe 🍪 | The process is repeatable with a high certainty of the same outcome. It doesn't require deep expertise. |
| Complicated | Sending a rocket to the moon 🚀 | Requires high levels of specialized expertise and formulae. While difficult, it's predictable, and success can be replicated. |
| Complex | Raising a child 👨👩👧 | Formulae have limited use. Each situation is unique, relationships and interconnections are key, and outcomes are uncertain. |
Defining "Wicked Problems" 😈
Coined by Rittel and Webber (1973), a wicked problem is a complex societal issue that is difficult or impossible to solve. The term "wicked" refers to their malicious, untameable nature, not moral evil.
The 5 Key Characteristics of a Wicked Problem:
- Essentially Unique: Every problem is context-specific, so a solution from one place cannot be simply copied and pasted elsewhere.
- A Symptom of Other Problems: They are deeply interconnected and nested within other problems. For example, groundwater depletion is linked to energy subsidies and farming practices.
- Multiple, Conflicting Stakeholders: Different groups have conflicting values and disagree on both the nature of the problem and the potential solutions (e.g., a mining company vs. an indigenous community over the same piece of land).
- No Clear Endpoint: You don't definitively "solve" a wicked problem; you can only manage it over time. There's no clear stopping rule.
- No Pre-defined Solutions: Solutions are not waiting to be found but must emerge through a process of trial, error, and adaptation.
Sustainability challenges are prototypical wicked problems because they involve long time horizons, combine environmental, social, and economic systems, and have multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests.
A New Approach: Systems Thinking vs. Reductionism
The existence of wicked problems shows the limits of our traditional problem-solving methods.
| Approach | Traditional Reductionism 🔬 | Systems Thinking 🕸️ |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Breaks a problem down into its smallest parts and analyzes each part individually. | Focuses on the relationships, patterns, and interconnections between the parts within the context of the larger whole. |
| Focus | On the components ("what it's made of"). | On the processes and patterns of organization. |
| Goal | To find a definitive answer or solution by optimizing each part. | To navigate the problem by understanding its dynamics and finding leverage points—small shifts that can produce large changes. |
Traditional reductionism fails with wicked problems because it ignores the context and interdependencies that define them. Systems thinking, in contrast, provides the tools (like causal loop diagrams) to understand and manage this complexity.
Exam Tip: The most crucial part of this lecture is the five characteristics of a wicked problem. You must be able to list and explain them. Also, be prepared to contrast simple, complicated, and complex problems using their respective analogies. Finally, understand the fundamental difference between reductionism (breaking things down) and systems thinking (seeing connections).