Wicked problems.
I bet you can name one or two. They’re problems that are more than just complicated. They’re complex, with so many factors that one doesn’t know where to start.
The term “wicked problem” was coined by University of California, Berkeley, professors Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber to describe societal problems that are difficult or impossible to solve – for instance, pandemics and poverty, or sustainability and social injustice. These two first presented their paper on wicked problems to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the late ‘60s.
Their work remains highly relevant. Our world is extremely complex, full of wicked problems. But here’s the upside – people and organizations are using their analytics skills to untangle challenging issues that will, in turn, help us solve some of our thorniest dilemmas.
In this issue of JMP Foreword, you'll find examples that show how leading science and engineering organizations use statistics to solve problems, make decisions and innovate.
You’ll read about Heliatek’s pioneering organic solar film that is suitable for covering curved and irregular surfaces. This means we have another sustainable energy solution to bring us closer to ending fossil fuel dependency and reaching a goal of 100% green electricity.
You’ll see how forensic chemists are using data visualization to help judges make decisions on important cases involving pollution and arson. This means we can bring offenders to justice even though contamination is notoriously difficult to prove.
Some of our columnists will share their perspectives on the vital role of statistics in tackling overwhelming questions and information overload.
Author David J. Hand writes about dark data and the COVID-19 pandemic. Researcher Galit Shmueli predicts what we’ll be able to accomplish with the deluge of data we’re creating in this age of virtual assistants, smart home devices and the Internet of Things. And Riffyn CEO Timothy Gardner explains how design of experiments has streamlined his approach to scientific innovation.
While we don’t present JMP as an easy button to solve the world’s problems, our developers are always looking for ways to make analytics less frustrating and less burdensome. In one story, a crop scientist describes his JMP experience this way: “Tasks like compiling data over years were practically impossible in the past. We’ve cut the time from days or weeks to a few minutes or hours. And that opens up analysis that wasn’t possible before.”
What will you do that wasn’t possible before? Read JMP Foreword for inspiration.
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