Complex situations: An alternative approach for viewing a System of Systems

Abstract

Inherent to system of systems (SOS) are wicked problems. This paper generalizes the characteristics of a wicked problem based on a practical example of a System of Systems. In 1994 the Department of Defense (DoD) set into motion a sequence of events that resulted in an unprecedented decision for change, the result of that decision was to standup the joint forces command. The decision carried with it a mandate to change more than processes and doctrine, but more fundamentally, to change how the military thinks and behaves; this decision created a wicked problem. The paper probes the limitations of analysis on a wicked problem going beyond the characteristics of the problem to explore the exacerbating phenomena of the wicked problem: perspective. The paper provides an alternative approach for viewing wicked problems and concludes that system of systems as a wicked problem require a paradigm that is able to deal with this perspective.