The world is full of what academics call “wicked problems” and now, “super wicked problems.” I wish these terms were just throwbacks to ’90s slang, but unfortunately, they’re not.
Wicked Problems
Wicked problems—like climate change—challenge governance structures and organizational capacity. There’s no consensus on what the problem is, let alone how to solve it. The term was popularised in Australian policy briefs back in 2007 as an attempt to create more cohesion across government departments.
It’s now 2025. Almost 30 years later, Australia’s climate policy remains fragmented. We still lack cohesive action across departments on issues like corporate accountability, mining approvals, energy supply, and national climate targets.
These problems are inherently complex. They demand collaboration across sectors, organisations, and social groups. Every sustainability issue—every climate debate, ethical dilemma, or cultural shift—sits squarely in this zone of complexity. Wicked problems can’t be solved from a single discipline, silo, or worldview. They require a whole-of-society approach.
And here’s the thing: even though our institutions feel divided, many individuals inside them share common goals. But who are these people? Are they stuck in echo chambers, suppressing their true values? How can they find each other—let alone collaborate—if they don’t realise they’re not alone?
We were never meant to feel this alone.
Super Wicked Problems
Now, take a wicked problem and add a few more layers:
- Time is running out.
- The people trying to solve the problem are also contributing to it.
- There’s no strong central authority to lead the way.
- We keep discounting the future, irrationally pushing solutions further down the road.
What do we call this? A super wicked problem.
At this point, are we going to start naming them Mega/Sigma/OG/Freakin’ Super Wicked Problems? Enough already. We have the information. We know what’s ahead. It’s time to step out of our silos and do something. But how?
The Requisite Law of Complexity
Here’s a starting point: it takes complexity to address complexity.
This idea, adapted from Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety, was reworked by McKelvey and Boisot in the early 2000s. It means that any system must match the complexity of its environment to function effectively.
Let’s be honest. Our global systems are far from functioning at peak effectiveness for all….. But here’s the kicker: when working with complexity, you can’t see all the pieces. The moment someone offers a silver-bullet solution—usually some hyper-technical fix—they’ve already missed the point. Complexity thrives on learning, self-organisation, adaptation and creativity. This is natural dynamic of all life forces, from cellular growth, ecosystems and your immune system.
This is why understanding complexity, especially in the context of your local community—is so powerful.
You Are the Local Expert
You don’t need a PhD in systems theory to engage with complexity. If you understand the political, economic, social, cultural, and technological forces shaping your neighbourhood—and how they’ve changed over time—you’re already doing complexity thinking.
You are the local expert.
You have the power to shift narratives, build bridges, and catalyse change in the places you care about most. Complexity isn’t just an academic concept—it’s a toolkit for real, grounded, human-scale action.
And it starts with you.