Wicked Problems - How to Engineer a Better World

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.

About the author

Guru Madhavan is the Norman R. Augustine Senior Scholar and senior director of programs at the National Academy of Engineering. He is a prizewinning author of essays and books, including Applied Minds: How Engineers Think. He lives in Washington, DC.

Summary

An ode to systems engineers—whose invisible work undergirds our life—and an exploration of the wicked problems they tackle

Product details

• Authors: Guru Madhavan, Guru (National Academy of Engineering) Madhavan, Madhavan Guru
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 23.05.2024
• EAN: 9780393651461
• ISBN: 978-0-393-65146-1
• Dimensions: 163 mm x 236 mm x 33 mm
• Weight: 632 g
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Mechanical engineering, production engineering; Social sciences, law, business > Business > Management; TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / General, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Decision-Making & Problem Solving, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / History, Technology: general issues, History of engineering and technology, Management decision making, Engineering: general, Electronics & Communications Engineering, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Systems Engineering