Wicked Problems
How to Engineer a Better World
14 May 2024
Territory Rights — World, Excluding India
Description
An ode to systems engineers—whose invisible work undergirds our life—and an exploration of the wicked problems they tackle
Our world is filled with pernicious problems: how, for example, did novice pilots learn to fly without taking to the air and risking their lives? We have generated solutions over time but challenges like these—wicked problems that tangle personal, public and environmental factors—are not going away any time soon.
In Wicked Problems, engineer Guru Madhavan examines historic tragedies and lesser-known tales, from the efficient design of battleships to a volcano eruption that curtailed global commerce. Braided throughout is the uplifting tale of Edwin Link, who revolutionised aviation with his flight trainer. In Link’s story, Madhavan uncovers a model mindset to engage with wickedness. An homage to society’s innovators and maintainers, Wicked Problems offers a refreshing vision for readers of all backgrounds to build a better future.
Reviews
"Madhavan champions the importance of looking at seemingly technical problems through a wider lens—such as the business, policy and social aspects… Wicked Problems is a wake-up call for all engineers to expand their mindset." — Susan Krumdieck, Nature
Also By: Guru Madhavan 
Applied Minds: How Engineers Think
Paperback, 2016
“Engineers are titans of real-world problem-solving. . . . In this riveting study of how they think, [Guru Madhavan] puts behind-the-scenes geniuses . . . center stage.”—Nature
Applied Minds: How Engineers Think
Hardback, 2015
A journey inside the minds that build our world.
Applied Minds: How Engineers Think
E Book, 2015
“Engineers are titans of real-world problem-solving. . . . In this riveting study of how they think, [Guru Madhavan] puts behind-the-scenes geniuses . . . center stage.”—Nature
