Complex Design Problems: Presenting a Conceptual Model to Identify the Components of Wicked Problems

In a general form of definition, Design is a problem-solving process. The main difference between this process and other problem-solving processes in the natural sciences and engineering is the main feature of the design process which is "creativity". Generally Designers do not solve the problems they face with pre-established solutions and fixed formulas, but with innovative solutions based on their creative abilities. In design research literature, problems are divided into three general categories based on their ontological characteristics: well-defined problems, ill-defined problems and wicked problems. In this research, the authors try to identify a special type of design problems, namely wicked problems, and extract their characteristic features in the problem solving process. In this regard, two main goals were set. The first goal is to identify and explain the components of wicked problems in problem solving process and the second goal is to explain and analyze how each of these components relate to each other and how they affect solving process of wicked problems. Well-defined problems often provide a good framework for restriction of design activities. In contrast to this type, there are other types of issues that are not well defined and are so-called ill-defined. Such problems usually have a various solutions, each of which can be satisfying in some way, and are almost equally good. The most challenging type of problems are wicked problems. These problems cannot be comprehensively framed and therefore there will be different descriptions of the problem and each of these descriptions defines the problem in a specific framework. For the first time, Professor Rittel and his colleague Weber argued in their 1973 paper that complex social issues could not be "tamed" through standard management approaches that rely on rational-analytical models of planning and decision-making. Despite this seemingly widespread acceptance, the concept is used almost exclusively in developed countries in Europe and North America, and almost all credible literature on wicked problems are written in English. There are two points to keep in mind when it comes to wicked problems to avoid a simplistic interpretation of the term. The first point is that these problems do not really mean "one problem" with a fixed and structured problem statement. These very vague problems have multiplex elements and complex relationships that minimize the possibility of assigning a single framework to them. wicked problems do not remain constant: they are a set of complex and interactive problems that evolve in a dynamic social context. The second point is that the word "wicked" does not mean the moral valuation of these problems as evil issues. Rather they are methodologically misleading and can have unintended consequences for those who try to act upon them. Methodologically The present study is a qualitative research which is done using descriptive-analytical method. This study has taken a qualitative approach to the study of the phenomenon of wicked problems. In addition to explaining the components of this type of problems in the problem solving process, it has also analyzed their relationship with the problem itself and other components. It is also a fundamental-theoretical study in terms of purpose. Information has been collected through library study from academic researches on wicked problems. According to the approach of this research, data collection continued until the theoretical saturation was reached and due to the nature of this information, they were analyzed qualitatively and logically. All the characteristics provided for wicked problems in the research literature are attributed to one of three factors: the problem, the solution (or solutions), or the stakeholders of a problem. Therefore, to study the characteristics of wicked problems in the problem-solving process, the three spaces of problem, solution and stakeholders are introduced as three elements that include the characteristics which are introduced for wicked problems. The relationship between these three elements forms the general specification of a wicked problem. Each of these three elements also has subcomponents that are in fact their characteristics. The sub-components of problem are: structural-technical complexity, dynamic and unstable context, and ambiguity and obscurity. The sub-components of solutions are: ambiguity and obscurity, uncertainty and impossibility of testing. Finally, the sub-components of stakeholders include: insufficient knowledge, divergence of values and tendencies, unbalanced distribution of power and multiplicity of stakeholders. Based on the definitions and critiques of the theory of wicked problems, the authors analyzed the introduced features and presented them in the form of a conceptual model with three main elements of problem, solution (or solutions) of the problem and stakeholders. This conceptual model can be used to study complex socio-technical issues by designers in the field of design and can also be useful for providing a holistic and systematic view of wicked problems for strategic and sustainable design activists. Researchers from different fields of research are expected to study the proposed conceptual model and modify and develop it by studying newer sources and using the research literature of other fields.