Technical Vs. Adaptive Problems: Understanding the Difference
During my Acumen Fellowship, I learned about the difference between a technical problem and an adaptive one.
A technical challenge has clear parameters and often looks like something that has happened before. So, any expert with experience can solve it. When faced with a technical challenge, people can proceed to solutioning pretty quickly.
On the other hand, an adaptive challenge is more nuanced—like Africa's problems. It’s an issue that keeps recurring despite many attempts to solve it.
Everyone presumably knows what the problem is and can prescribe solutions while at the beer parlour. Yet, we all wonder how come no one has solved it yet.
Why Adaptive Problems Persist
When we probe further to discover why an adaptive issue is so sticky, we hear broad generalizations like leadership, colonialism, military rule, or tribalism—all of which introduce more nuances.
You can either tackle an adaptive problem slowly or quickly. Doing it fast requires a huge demonstration of power (and tyranny). However, this method only addresses the manifestations, not the root causes. It’s why racism is so persistent in the US despite successive legal and cultural solutions—it’s systemic, not occasional.
The slow version of dealing with an adaptive challenge can be frustrating. This is because it requires a lot of observation and listening. This is where the great diplomats of history excelled—painstakingly mapping stakeholder interests, cultivating buy-in, and allowing others to take the credit. It’s not a quick fix and requires much patience.
Key Things to Note About Adaptive Problems
You are not more intelligent than those who tried to solve it before. Chances are, everything you are proposing has been suggested by someone more qualified than you. So, be humble in your approach.
If the issue persists, it may not be considered a problem. Some people have accepted the status quo. So, others quietly "walk away from Omelas" to save their souls.
How to Tackle Adaptive Problems
Find early adopters so you can build a critical mass. This leads to a snowball effect.
Identify an expert communicator to create the desired narrative. Many narratives are engineered, and some things don’t innocently go "viral."
Deploy money, power and influence. Many so-called grassroots movements are sustained by money.
Ask God for wisdom. One word of divine wisdom is better than years of human effort and strategy.
Wisdom Vs. Intellect
Finally, it’s worth saying this: Wisdom is often needed for adaptive challenges, while intellect is mostly technical. So, be wise.
Thank you for reading
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That beer parlour illustration I find very amusing. People talk and talk with so much confidence without a track record of wisdom—and by wisdom, I mean an admirable life built my wise choices and decisions. I’m saying anyone talks these days—and no one cares.
I strongly believe in the slow version of dealing with problems. All the agitations and aggressive actions around problem solving in Africa has always been a cycle of repeated failure—maybe some progress in few areas, but we usually end up as bad as we started.
The slow but steady approach would win—with everyone cooperating, competence slowly seeping into the system, proper leadership and education at all levels being strengthened and embraced—we’ll win. No single noise, massive victory—the path is clear.
Thank you ma, I will be wise