Wicked problems, defined by Rittel, are a class of social system problems which are ill-formulated, where the information is confusing, where there are many clients and decision makers with conflicting values, and where the ramifications in the whole system are thoroughly confusing. Suggested by Buchanan, the fundamental issue behind wicked problems is indeterminacy, which is the opposite of determinacy. The efforts that made to solve determinate problems follow the linear, step-by-step model of design process. Through problem definition that determines the elements of the problem and specifies requirements needed, and problem solution that combines and balances the elements with each other for a final production plan, determinate problems are solved. In contrast, wicked problems can’t be solved through linear design process, since there is a fundamental indeterminacy in the problems. Indeterminate problems are not undetermined problems. Undetermined problems is definable, while indeterminate problems have no definitive conditions or limits, since, as Rittel says, there are many clients and decision makers with conflicting values, and thoroughly ramifications in the whole system.
Essentially, a design problem that is “indeterminate” and therefore “wicked” due to the peculiar nature of the subject matter of design. Design is applied; it has no special subject matter of its own apart from what a designer conceives it to be. Each individual designer has particular views on what the subject matters should be. Therefore, design problems are indeterminate and wicked. Use the words of Buchanan, design is fundamentally concerned with the particular, and there is no science of the particular.
