Die Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung sind vielschichtig, vernetzt und dadurch sehr komplex. Rittel/Webber beschreiben diese Art von Problemen als “wicked problems” (Rittel, Horst/Webber, Melvin (1973): Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning. In: Policy Sciences, 4, 1973, S. 155-169). In dem Beitrag geht es um die Problematik des Planens und um gesellschaftliche Probleme, die sich von den naturwissenschaftlichen Problemstellungen unterscheiden: “The kinds of problems that planners deal with-societal problems-are inherently different from the problems that scientists and perhaps some classes of engineers deal with. Planning problems are inherently wicked. (…) As you will see, we are calling them ´wicked´ not because these properties are themselves ethically deplorable. We use the term ´wicked´ in a meaning akin to that of ´malignant´ (in contrast to ´benign´) or ´vicious´ (like a circle) or ´tricky´ like a leprechaun) or ´aggressive´ (like a lion, in contrast to the docility of a lamb). We do not mean to personify these properties of social systems by implying malicious intent. But then, you may agree that it becomes morally objectionable for the planner to treat a wicked problem as though it were a tame one, or to tame a wicked problem prematurely, or to refuse to recognize the inherent wickedness of social problems. There is no definitive formulation of a wicked problem” (ebd. 160-161). Möglicherweise helfen hier auch die Gedanken zum Problemlösen.