Tame vs. Wild Problems (Type I, II, III)
This taxonomy distinguishes tame problems, with agreed goals and methods, from complex and wicked problems, where goals, solutions or both are contested. It emphasizes interactions that can be lost when a problem is divided into isolated parts.
THE IDEA
Types of Problems: Tame (Simple/Complicated) vs. Wild (Complex & Wicked)
Tame problems provide a clear definition of what the problem entails including predefined goals and rules for solving it. Tame problems are Type I problems, simple/complicated problems. Type I problems are those in which there is a consensus on the problem and solution. Examples include calculating waste in a process and solving basic mathematical equations.
In this taxonomy, wild problems resist a final, agreed solution: their definitions may be disputed and their conditions change as people intervene. The category includes complex and wicked problems, identified as Type II and Type III problems.
- Type II problems (Complex problems): consensus on the problem's definition, but no consensus on how to solve the problem. Examples include cancer research, economic disparity, and terrorism.
- Type III problems (Wicked problems): problems in which neither the problem nor the solution can be agreed upon. Climate change and pandemics (2003 SARS, 2012 MERS, 2020 COVID-19) are examples.
Dividing a problem into smaller parts can help, but treating those parts independently can hide important interactions. An intervention that improves one part may change conditions elsewhere. For complex and wicked problems, partial solutions therefore need to be assessed in the wider system and revised as their effects become apparent.
"Such a partial solution, if ever attainable, leaves behind the rest of the wicked problem unanalyzed, but its implementation will also change the dynamics of the socio-ecological system in which the original problem resides."
The source also cites a stricter moral criticism of partial solutions: "The moral principle is this: whoever attempts to tame a part of a wicked problem, but not the whole, is morally wrong."
When to use it
Urban planning: considering how a district’s rezoning affects housing, transport and neighboring areas, then reviewing the effects with those affected.
Product Management: A team building software for healthcare diagnostics deals with tame problems (e.g., optimizing an algorithm's speed) nested within a wild problem (improving patient outcomes in a complex healthcare system). Different methods are appropriate for each level.
Personal Finance: Planning a monthly budget is a tame problem. Dealing with the societal anxiety around retirement savings in a volatile economy is a wild problem. Coping strategies differ.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Tame Problem: Optimizing a Factory Workflow
The goal is clear (reduce waste), the rules are established (Lean/Six Sigma methodologies), and progress can be objectively measured.
Complex Problem: Economic Disparity
There is broad consensus that economic disparity is a serious problem (Type II), but experts disagree strongly on solutions—whether through market deregulation, higher taxes on the wealthy, or massive educational investment.
Wicked Problem: Managing a Global Pandemic
Pandemic policy during COVID-19 involved interacting questions about health, livelihoods, distribution of risk and acceptable restrictions. In this taxonomy, disputes over both priorities and interventions make the policy problem Type III. This does not imply that every scientific question about the disease is equally uncertain.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Identify a current challenge in your work or life. Is it a tame or wild problem? What does this classification imply about how you should approach it?
Think of a time you divided a problem into parts. Which interactions did that approach reveal or overlook?
What are the ethical implications of providing a partial solution to a wicked problem? Does 'doing something' always make things better, or can it make the overall wild problem worse?
Often confused with
References
- Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning — Rittel, H. W. J., & Webber, M. M. (1973)
- The Problem of Wicked Problems — Turner, R. K. / Various (cited in text notes)
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Cynefin - Weaving Sense-Making into the Fabric of Our World ED02 (Dave Snowden Sonja Blignaut Zhen Goh)