Wicked problems: A Naturalistic approach

“The search for scientific bases for confronting problems of social policy is bound to fail, because of the nature of these problems. They are ‘wicked’ problems, whereas science has developed to deal with ‘tame’ problems.” - Rittel and Webber, 1973

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A wicked problem refers to a problem that is both intractable and not suited for scientific solutions. It’s a type of problem that due to certain characteristics proves difficult if not impossible to solve. Wicked problems are dynamic, often cyclical or systemic, and lack critical information. With competing goals and multiple stakeholders there is no single, optimal, or correct solution. This is in contrast to “tame” problems, that tend to be well structured, linear, and have a clear goal, correct answer, or stopping point.

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