Russell Ackoff, a pioneer in systems thinking in a management context, wrote about problems in complex social systems (1974):

“We have also come to realize that no problem ever exists in complete isolation. Every problem interacts with other problems and is therefore part of a set of interrelated problems, a system of problems… I choose to call such a system a mess.” (p21)

Robert Horn expanded on Ackoff’s notion of ‘mess’, combined it with Rittel’s and Webber’s notion of ‘wicked problem‘, and situated it explicitly in the context of difficult social problems:

“A social mess is a set of interrelated problems and other messes. Complexity – systems of systems – is among the factors that makes social messes so resistant to analysis and, more importantly, to resolution.” (p6)

The characteristics of a social mess are:

• There is no unique ‘correct’ view of the problem.
• There are different views of the problem and contradictory solutions.
• Most problems are connected to other problems.
• Data are often uncertain or missing.
• There are multiple value conflicts.
• There are ideological and cultural constraints.
• There are political constraints.
• There are economic constraints.
• They often involve a-logical, illogical, or multi-valued thinking.
• There are many possible intervention points.
• The consequences of an intervention are difficult to imagine.
• There is considerable uncertainty and ambiguity: in the system and in the problem definition.
• There is great resistance to change.
• Problem solvers are often out of contact with the problems and potential solutions.

References

Ackoff, R.L. 1974. Redesigning the future: A systems approach to societal problems. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Horn, R. and Weber, R.P. 2007. New tools for resolving wicked problems. White paper. MacroVU, Inc. and Strategy Kinetics, LLC. 34pp.