Project Management Institute (PMI), the globally-recognised association for project professionals and changemakers, announced the launch of a new course designed to mentor individuals and organisations and to help build the skills needed for modern creative collaboration.

The Wicked Problem Solving course and tool kit was developed in partnership with Tom Wujec, renowned as a design thinking thought leader and technology pioneer. The tool kit aims to equip participants with a clear, visual system to solve a range of potential business problems.  The course helps to simplify the complexities of collaborative tasks into a set of principles, plays and paths that can be followed to solve challenges, become effective team leaders and integrate innovation and creativity into workflows. 

Introduced in 1973 by design theorists Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber, the term “wicked problem” refers to specific types of problems that are impossible to solve with traditional methods because of their inherent complexity and uncertainty. The World Economic Forum ranks complex problem-solving as the single most valuable skill, however, according to PMI research, the world’s problems and the solutions to these problems are becoming ever more complex and ‘wicked’. Professionals and businesses are under growing pressure to solve complex problems and to become more sustainable and efficient, while also confronting traditional challenges such as managing distributed teams, applying emerging technologies and bridging siloed organisations.

“Wicked Problem-Solving incorporates the best of design thinking, agile, lean, project management, and other modern ways of working. This revolutionary approach will help professionals, teams and entire organisations to think creatively and navigate increasingly complex change,” asserts PMI Business Development Leader for Africa George Asamani.

"Wicked Problem-Solving is more than a course - it’s a simple, but revolutionary approach that redefines how we frame and resolve challenges, as well as how we can bring out the best in our teams," says Wujec. "Wicked Problem-Solving helps people organise their work into time-bound courses of action called plays. Each play produces a clear visual model that can foster clarity, generate new points of view, explore alternatives and forge winning solutions. Designing and running better plays elevates a team with qualities the world needs now: the ability to comprehend and adapt quickly, to navigate complexity and to bring more imagination and energy to their work.”