Book excerpt: Wicked problems are complex, ill-structured, human problem situations. This book will help you design an inquiry and intervention in such messy, wicked situations. It does so by guiding you through the steps and stages of a systemic process that addresses your own wicked problem. Limited references to systems theory and history acquaint you with the key principles to work wicked problems on your own. The focus of this book on systems thinking is on a critically important question that often goes unanswered: "Where do I start?" It also provides numerous tips and tricks to keep you on the right track. You will find that the systems approaches in this book will not only help you to address wicked problems yourselves, but also that it will give you a basic grasp of what is involved in other systems methods. Few other investments in your intellectual toolbox could claim the same.