Wicked Problems

A wicked problem is a social or cultural problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. Unlike 'tame' problems — which have clear definitions, stable rules, and verifiable solutions — wicked problems feature feedback loops between the problem definition and the solution attempt, meaning that every intervention changes the problem itself. Climate change, poverty, and institutional reform are classic cases: the act of analyzing them alters their structure, and solutions generate new problems faster than they resolve old ones. The concept, introduced by Rittel and Webber in 1973, is a foundational challenge to the engineering mindset that treats all problems as solvable through sufficient analysis and resources.