The most pressing challenges we face today are ‘wicked’ problems. Yet, the tools and institutions we rely on are ill-suited for solving them.
That’s why we need new models of governance that harness the power of collective intelligence.
When problems are not just complex but ‘wicked’…
… conventional problem-solving approaches don’t work
… information is difficult to locate, evaluate and apply
… uncertainty is high because knowledge is incomplete
… disagreements abound: different people see problems in different ways and bring their own data, statistics and stories to back their views and preferred solutions
… dialogue breaks down, negative attitudes spread, and polarization is exploited to advance populist solutions and to frame options as irreconcilable
… leaders fail to propose imaginative solutions, civic space is reduced, and distrust in institutions increase
The big ‘wicked’ probelms of our times (climate change, pandemics, migration, inequality, security, misinformation) is the reason why people feel disillusioned with their leaders and trust in institutions is low.
What to do?
The Collective Intelligence Project 