Keith Grint defines three types of problems:

 

1          Problems as Crises  These are usually portrayed as a crisis, with no time for discussion or dissent.

2          Tame Problems  Even if the solutions are complex, the problems are known to be solvable.  Launching a new product or performing heart surgery are tame problems, as they have been solved in the past. 

3          Wicked Problems have no simple solution.  The problems are novel or recalcitrant, and the 'solution' often creates another problem.  Uncertainty and ambiguity are inevitable and cannot be deleted through correct analysis.

In Education, the procurement of hardware is a tame problem – a problem that has a process and an accepted means of solution.  Changing education to take account of the power of technology is however a wicked problem that requires collaboration and an ongoing process of refinement and capacity building.

The only way to take it forward successfully is to engage people with experience to lead the process.