In this Lunchtime Talk, Studio resident Dr. Timothy J. Senior will introduce the Wicked Problems agency supersum, an experiment in wickedness, clumsiness, and messiness.

It’s easy to say we live in a complex world. Many problems are, in fact, just merely complicated. Enough time, effort, money, and the application of best practice will probably do the job. Some problems – particularly societal problems, are very different in nature. They are hard to define, have no definitive solution and no stopping rule. These are Wicked Problems and they demand Clumsy Solutions (defined as those creatively combining the four building blocks of social life – individualism, hierarchy, egalitarianism and fatalism) and Messy Institutions that are able to cut across conventional disciplines, mindsets, and organisational structures.

Tim will be discussing the real-world implications of running a Wicked Problems agency using examples from some of supersum’s projects - from rural innovation and dementia care to community resilience in response to Covid-19.

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