Methodological Demands for Handling Complex Societal Problems

In Chaps. 3 and 4 we discussed problem handling in general. We indicated that for handling complex societal problems, knowledge of different disciplines is necessary. Therefore, complex societal problems should be handled cooperatively. By “handling a problem cooperatively” we mean handling a problem with a group of persons. The arrangement of the group depends on the problem. It can vary from a mono-disciplinary group consisting of people of the same level of expertise, to a multi-disciplinary group of different (high and low) levels of expertise, or a mixed group with content experts and organization experts managers. Another reason for handling complex societal problems cooperatively is that most complex societal problems have a great impact on society. In a democracy a group widens the basis for acceptance of interventions. As we have seen in Chap. 3 knowledge of problem handling is mostly derived from the way one person solves small domain-related problems. Handling these kinds of relatively simple problems differs, on some crucial points, from cooperative handling of complex societal problems. The results from research on handling small, domain-related problems can only be used to a certain extent in this field. In handling small domain-related problems, only domain-related problem solving techniques and domain-related methods of analysis are used. For handling complex societal problems, a special methodology is needed that takes into account the complexity, the interdisciplinarity, and the dynamic changes of the problem and its environment and that will support a cooperative way of problem handling. As stated in Chap. 3 , we assume that handling complex societal problems can be improved by improving the quality of the problem handling skills of people, which, in turn, can be improved by using a fruitful methodology combined with the suitable tools. In this chapter we will discuss some aspects of a methodology for handling a complex societal problem. We focus especially on the support of the cooperative problem handling process and discuss some of the possibilities of computer tools to this process. This reflects expectation c: for handling complex societal problems a methodology is needed that includes the basic concepts knowledge, power and emotion and supports cooperative problem handling Which is operationalized to research question c (See Chap. 2 ): what are the special aspects a methodology for supporting the process of handling complex societal problems should possess We will begin by connecting the problem handling phases mentioned in Chap. 4 with examples of complex societal problems.