Think wicked thoughts.
Don't solve problems, resolve issues
Traditional approaches to strategic problem solving and planning in the Health & Social Care sector are often based around issues such as client need and organisational capability using existing data and modelling techniques.
The issue with this approach lies within the times we live and the rapid changes in socio-economics, politics, policy and, of course, technology. This ever-evolving background confronts today's policy makers and leaders with issues that cannot be resolved merely by gathering additional data, defining issues more clearly, or breaking them down into small problems.
Most existing tradtional problem solving techniques don't generate innovative ideas. Even if these disruptive solutions appear they still face an uphill struggle as implementation often appears perilous when to all but the truly brave.
We believe that today's strategic issues, and the solutions they demand aren't, tame, tough or persistent—they're Wicked!
"We cannot solve the problems we have created with the same thinking we used in creating them."
Albert Einstein
In a 1973 article in Policy Sciences magazine, Horst W.J. Rittel and Melvin M. Webber, professors of design and urban planning at the University of California at Berkeley, categorised two types of problem; Tame and Wicked.
- A Tame problem can be solved by reductive analysis and resolved by applying the correct process.
- A Wicked problem however has innumerable causes, is tough to describe, and doesn't have a right answer
Push Consulting have always approached preferred wicked problems.
Our experience in both strategy and execution has not only enables us to provide solutions which are not limited by traditional methodologies.
Finally, we don't believe that we're the trendy exponents of 'the new way', nor do we believe in problem solving as magic - no smoke, mirrors and a big reveal at the end for us!
We see our role as empowering social change by empowering the organisations that create it to think slightly differently.
Push Consulting is not just an organisation to employ for wicked solutions, we are the organisation to work with you to help you develop a truly wicked mindset!
I was thinking of installing one of those automatic garage door openers over the weekend. The directions say 'make certain the garage door is square and straight and the garage floor is level.' Directions always read like that. Is everything in your straight, square and level? If my house was straight, square and level, I would never have to fix anything. What we all need are directions that tell us what to do when everything is crooked, off-center and all screwed up."
Andy Rooney. 60 Minutes
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Image credit: Satan, as drawn by Gustave Doré, in John Milton's Paradise Lost. 1866.
This image is cited as being free of copyright description and is in the public domain.
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Here are a few links to projects which showcase our responses to wicked problems:
Hyperlink to project 1
Hyperlink to project 2
Hyperlink to project 3
Pro Bono
Every month we allocate a fixed amount of Pro Bono time to help organisations.