In 1973, Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber—then professors at UC Berkeley—published a paper that quietly revolutionized how we think about complex challenges. At the time, the dominant belief was that all problems could be solved, probably using mathematics or engineering, and that once solved, the problem went away.
Rittel and Webber flipped that perspective on its head.
They distinguished between “tame” problems, those solvable with technical methods, and a broader realm of “wicked” problems, which resist simple solutions.
Rittel and Web characterized wicked problems by traits like:
- No fixed definition,
- No clear endpoint,
- Evaluation as better or worse rather than true or false,
- One-shot decisions with significant consequences, and
- Accountability for planners with no “right to be wrong.”
Instead of engineering models, they proposed planning as an argumentative process, where stakeholders shape both the understanding of the problem and its solutions through dialogue. Food manufacturing is a wicked problem.
Food Safety in Manufacturing: A Wicked Domain
Food safety, including microbial risks, allergens, chemical hazards, and sanitation breakdowns, is a wicked problem. Attempts to "fix" one hazard may expose another. Changes in suppliers, processes, or pathogens shift the risk landscape. The problem never stays static, and no single action resolves it permanently.
Thus, food safety demands continuous management. It’s not a problem you solve once and forget.
Solving Unsolvable Wicked Problems
Taming wicked problems in food and beverage operations plants starts with building systems that evolve alongside your facility. The elements below work together to capture, connect, and act on critical information across your plant.
1. Build Out a Holistic Facility Information Tracking System
Think of this system as the plant's nerve center. It integrates:
- Environmental and equipment data (e.g., temperature, hygiene, sanitation),
- Maintenance logs (e.g., equipment service, calibration schedules),
- Personnel training and compliance records,
- Supplier and raw material information (like certificates of analysis).
This digital “single source of truth” mirrors the participatory planning approach: multiple stakeholders contribute critical information that evolves over time.
2. Treat Tracking as Iterative, Dynamic, and Participatory
Any update in ingredients, equipment, personnel, or cleaning protocols should automatically trigger review workflows and alerts. This embodies the wicked-problem principle: solutions evolve, not finalize.
- Automated threshold alerts (e.g. temps out of range),
- Scheduled recalibration flags,
- Supplier change triggers.
Real-time record updates ensure the system remains alive and useful rather than archived.
3. Enrich Documentation & Reporting Architecture
Tracking isn’t just for visibility—it’s documentation and accountability. All critical control points (CCPs), deviations, corrective actions, maintenance interventions, and training events should be automatically time-stamped, recorded, and archived. This supports compliance, audit readiness, and long-term learning.
4. Leverage MES and ERP Integration Where Relevant
When possible, integrate the facility-tracking system with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) or ERP platforms. MES systems record real-time process data, including batch yields, downtime, quality checks, CCP deviations, and create an “as-built” data record essential in food safety environments. ERP integration helps align planning, inventory, supplier, and quality data across your organization.
5. Keep the expertise in-house
Rather than relying solely on external consultants, ensure frontline operators and sanitation teams can input data and feedback directly. This reflects the wicked-problem principle: diverse voices surface assumptions and evolving risks that planners alone might miss.
Plant Management System Features Overview
|
System Capability |
Why It Matters for Wicked Food-Safety Problems |
| Real-time monitoring & alerts | Detect shifts before they become full-scale hazards |
| Integrated documentation archive | Creates a shared, transparent audit trail |
| Supplier, personnel, and training tracking | Captures changes in the ecosystem that influence risk |
| MES / ERP integration | Supports cross-functional insights across production, quality, maintenance |
Bottom Line
Food safety in manufacturing is not a tame puzzle, it’s a wicked problem. To manage it effectively, you need:
- A digital facility information tracking system that integrates data,
- Continuous, automated responsiveness to change,
- Collaborative inputs across teams, and
- A living record of hazards, interventions, and learnings.
Rather than a one-time fix, managing food safety means continuously documenting, reviewing, adapting, and rallying all stakeholders around an evolving, shared understanding.
