International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Volume 9 Issue 3, May-Jun 2025 Available Online: [Link] e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470

Wicked Problems
Paul A. Adekunte1, Matthew N. O. Sadiku2, Janet O. Sadiku3
1
International Institute of Professional Security, Lagos, Nigeria
2
Roy G. Perry College of Engineering, Prairie View A&M University, Prairie View, TX, USA
3
Juliana King University, Houston, TX, USA

ABSTRACT How to cite this paper: Paul A.

Wicked problems are known as complex, interconnected, Adekunte | Matthew N. O. Sadiku | Janet
multifaceted issues that are difficult to define, solve, and evaluate, O. Sadiku "Wicked Problems" Published
such as poverty, climate change, healthcare access, income in International
Journal of Trend in
inequality, terrorism, or education inequality due to their inherent
Scientific Research
complexity, uncertainty, and conflicting stakeholder perspective. and Development
They are characterized by lack of clear-cut solutions and require (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-
ongoing, adaptive approaches. We are faced with problems in our 6470, Volume-9 |
daily life, and we think of ways to solve them. A wicked problem is Issue-3, June 2025, IJTSRD79835
said to be a societal or cultural issue that is difficult or impossible to pp.1-6, URL:
solve due to the following reasons: incomplete or inconsistent [Link]/papers/[Link]
knowledge, the large number of people and views involved, the
significant economic burden, and the interconnected nature of these Copyright © 2025 by author (s) and
issues with other issues. This paper delves into what wicked International Journal of Trend in
Scientific Research and Development
problems are, and how we can go or move around them.
Journal. This is an
KEYWORDS: Wicked problems, societal or cultural issues, complex Open Access article
problems, problem solving, collaboration, risk and uncertainty, binary distributed under the
thinking terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License (CC BY 4.0)
([Link]

INTRODUCTION
In planning and policy, a wicked problem is a was Horst Rittel that first identified so-called wicked
problem which is difficult or impossible to solve due problems in 1967 seminar at the University of
to incomplete, contradictory, and changing California at Berkeley. West Churchman documented
requirements that are often difficult to recognize [1], the phrase in a follow-up editorial in Management
as shown in Figure 1. A wicked problem refers to an Science, suggesting that Rittel used the adjective
idea or problem that cannot be fixed, where there is “wicked” “to describe the quality of the problems,
no single solution to the problem; and “wicked” implying they have a mischievous and evil quality,
denotes resistance to resolution, rather than evil [2]. It where proposed “solutions” often turn out to be worse
is also defined as “a problem whose social complexity than the symptoms” [6]. This concept of “wicked
means that it has no determinable stopping point” [3, problems” was introduced by Horst Rittel and Melvin
4]. Wicked problems have many different Webber in their 1973 paper titled “Dilemmas in a
characteristics such as: they have no stopping point, General Theory of Planning.” Researchers till date
they lack definition, have no “right” or “wrong” give credit to the 1973 co-publication by Rittel and
solution, you can’t test solutions to wicked problems, Melvin Webber for the seminal work on the concept.
the problem is unique, they have unknown They argued that social policy problems differ
consequences, and they prove symptomatic of other fundamentally from the “tame” problems of
problems. We can find some of the examples of mathematics or engineering. Wicked problems have
wicked problems in many environments that may no definitive formulation, no stopping rule, and no
include educational, economic, healthcare, immediate or ultimate test of a solution. Each solution
environmental, and urban planning challenges [5], as changes the problem.
shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.
CHARACTERISTICS OF WICKED
HISTORY OF WICKED PROBLEMS PROBLEMS
It was not until late 1960s that we got to know about Some of the key characteristics of wicked problems
the term “wicked problems” as it has ever existed. It by Rittel and Webber are that wicked problems [7]:

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1. Have no definitive formulation. wrong – wrong about the problem and wrong
2. Have no stopping rule. about the solution.
3. Solutions are not true or false, but good or bad.
2. Competitive strategies: Competitive strategies
4. There is no immediate test of a solution.
have a long history. Whether played out on the
5. Every solution is a one-shot operation.
battlefield, in politics, or in the market,
6. Have no enumerable set of solutions.
stakeholders follow the strategy that assumes a
7. Are essentially unique.
“zero-sum” game. If my opponents win the right
8. Can be considered symptoms of other problems.
to define the problem and choose the solution,
9. Can be explained in numerous ways.
then I lose. If I win the right, my opponents, lose.
10. The planner has no right to be wrong.
A win-lose mind-set thus permeates interactions,
THE EXPANSION AND APPLICATION with warfare as an extreme example of zero-sum
Since Rittel and Webber, the concept has been widely competition when countries claim the right to
applied in fields such as environmental policy, urban define their wicked problems and their solutions
planning, business strategy, public health, and climate (over religion, land, trade policy, etc) in such a
change; with the introduction of super wicked way that it threatens other countries. Central to
problems [8, 9]. Wicked problems are complex and the pursuit of competitive strategies to deal with
intractable issues with no clear solutions, have wicked problems is the search for power, such
applications across various fields like in public that the competitor can build a power base larger
policy, design, and project management. Helps in the than his opponents, using whatever tactics his
understanding of the limitations of traditional ethics and morality permit, he can increase his
problem-solving approaches and encourage the chances to win and define the problem and its
development of more collaborative and flexible solution in a way he sees fit, since power, after all
strategies. Moreover, because of complex is the ability to get what one wants against
interdependences, the effort to solve one aspect of a resistance [13]. Competitive strategies in solving
wicked problem may reveal or create other problems. wicked problems have numerous advantages. For
Due to their complexity, wicked problems are often example, in the market economy, industry
characterized by organized irresponsibility [4, 8]. competition prompts the search for new ideas. It
STRATEGIES TO TACKLE WICKED also challenges the institutionalization of power,
PROBLEMS by keeping power to circulate among the
Traditional approach cannot be used to tackle wicked competitors, so as not to centralize and
problems in which problems are defined, analyzed institutionalize power. Power is not corrupting: it
and solved in sequential steps, as there are no clear is the concentration and institutionalization of
definition of wicked problems. The solution to power that is dangerous [13].
wicked problems will ultimately need additional The disadvantages of competitive strategies are
research to understand the gaps in information that, when pushed to the extreme, they can
pertaining to these problems. Hence, government provoke violence and warfare, e. g the scars from
must invest in more evidence-informed science to competition in Northern Ireland, the Middle East,
address the full scope of these problems [10], as and Rwanda. It also consumes resources that
shown in Figures 5 and 6. There is also the need for could be spent on problem solving.
broader thinking into the appropriate options that will
3. Collaborative strategies: Collaborative strategies
allow for more innovation within this process. Nancy
is premised on the principle that by joining forces,
Roberts highlighted the following strategies in coping
parties can accomplish more as a collective than
with wicked problems [11, 12]:
they can achieve by acting as independent agents.
1. Authoritative strategies: These seek to tame At the core of collaboration is a “win-win” view
wicked problems by vesting the responsibility for of problem solving and not a “zero-sum game”.
solving the problems in the hands of a few people. Alliances, partnerships, and joint ventures are all
However, the reduction in the number of the variations of the theme as they find expression
stakeholders reduces problem complexity, as in government, business, and international
many competing points of view are eliminated at relations.
the start. The disadvantage is that the authorities
Collaboration has a lot of advantages such as:
and experts charged with solving the problem
 Sharing costs and benefits of developing very
may not have an appreciation of all the
expensive technology by the members of research
perspectives needed to tackle the problem.
consortia rather than carrying the full risks on
Secondly, the authorities and experts can be
their own [14].

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 Military alliances to add strength in numbers and consultative approach to tackle problems
share the burden of mutual defense. collectively.
 Competitors of same product line can find virtue 7. Coping strategies: Focusing on managing
in working together to deliver better products and uncertainties, building resilience, and
services to their customers. strengthening community capabilities.
 Through collaboration, redundancies could be Other approaches are:
eliminated and organizational efficiencies 8. Collective action: It involves multiple actors and
achieved [15]. groups who share common values or goals to
The disadvantages of collaboration are that: bring about change.
 Adding stakeholders to any problem solving 9. Adaptive change: This is by embracing new ways
effort will lead to increase in “transaction costs” of thinking and learning, and as well as being
due to holding of more meetings, more people prepared to consider different solutions to a
with whom to communicate with, and reaching problem.
agreement takes longer time, with more effort.
10. Deliberative engagement: This is by bringing
 Skills of collaboration can be limited especially together citizens or those affected in a community
among people who work in a traditional with decision-makers or officials.
bureaucracy.
11. Breaking down the problem: Creating categories,
 There are no guarantees that the outcomes of sub-categories, and incremental approach to make
collaboration will be satisfactory to everyone. the problem more manageable.
COPING STRATEGIES 12. Moving away from binary thinking: Avoiding
The coping strategies in dealing with wicked strict divisions of good and bad, right and wrong,
problems require a combination of strategies that to facilitate problem-solving. Binary thinking
acknowledge their complexity, uncertainty, and (also called dichotomous thinking, black-and-
value-based conflicts. Some of the effective white thinking, or all-or-nothing thinking) can
approaches include [1, 16-18]: lead to oversimplification, polarization, and
1. Avoidance and denial: Acknowledging the neglect of nuances and complexities. However,
problem but taking symbolic actions that address the alternatives to binary thinking are: nuanced
the symptoms rather than the underlying causes. thinking, contextual understanding, and
This approach is often used when government gradations and shades [19].
leaders lack the capacity or will to tackle complex IMPLICATIONS OF WICKED PROBLEMS
issues. Some of the implications of wicked problems are
2. Authoritative coercive controls: Imposing [20]:
decisive solutions to manage crises that require 1. Difficulty in definition and understanding: this is
forceful and rapid responses. This type of due to fact that they are often ill-defined, with no
approach is common in disasters, emergencies, or single, agreed-upon formulation; the scope of the
security threats. problem and nature may be unclear or may even
evolve as more information is gathered; and
3. Micro-management: This has to do with breaking hence makes it more challenging to precisely
down complex problems into smaller, manageable identify the root cause and the desired outcome.
parts. It focuses on just one aspect of the problem
at a time. 2. Lack of definitive solution: this is because wicked
problems do not have single “right” answer; the
4. Technocratic problem-solving: This is the use of solutions are often evaluated based on their
science and logic to develop rational solutions. “goodness” or “badness” rather than a clear
Wicked problems, however require more than true/false criterion; and what may be considered a
technical expertise. solution in one context, could be ineffective or
5. Incremental adjustment: This makes use of even possibly detrimental in another.
gradual changes through iterative processes, 3. Unintended consequences and systems dynamics:
thereby allowing for adjustments and corrections The solutions to wicked problems can have
along the way. unforeseen and potentially negative
6. Stakeholder collaboration: This makes use of the consequences. Interventions can disrupt the
engagement of diverse stakeholders in a

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existing system, creating new problems or [4] “Wicked problem,” Wikipedia, the free
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International Public Management Review, vol.
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1, no. 1, International Public Management
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Figure 3. Problem solving

Source:[Link]
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Figure 4. Climate change

Source:[Link]
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mg#vhid=oXEJg0XdUAO8LM&vssid=mosaic Figure 6. Argument map
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Figure 5. Issue-based information system IdhD9tWukPM&vssid=mosaic
Source:[Link]
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