The torrent of bad news threatens to overwhelm us. Precarious jobs, climate disasters, species extinction, pollution. There is always one more story of loss and damage, there is always one more horrendous statistic. This multitude of problems are so large and menacing that it easy to become paralyzed. This is what it feels like to face a Wicked Problem.
A wicked problem is a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. It refers to an idea or problem that cannot be fixed, where there is no single solution to the problem… [Wikipedia]
This is the challenge ahead of us. We must pass through the Wicked Problem to get to the good future. The only way to do that is to understand what we face so we know what directions to act in. However, we must be careful. Wicked problems are endless and so deeply interconnects that it easy to get lost in the abyss of them. We must understand enough to act but attempting to discern the deep interlocking issues leads to a dead end. Do not get trapped. Look with clear eyes at the problems ahead of us but once you resolve to take action shift your focus to the Wicked Solution.
How do we act when we can't know what the problem is? What we need is a Wicked Solution. Just as with a wicked problem, the wicked solution is so big and complex that it is impossible to understand all at once. Instead we build the wicked solution out of small solutions, each of which will remain valid no matter what the problem ends up being. We keep adding small solutions together and, one day, we will look back and realize we have found the future we want.
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