Understanding public sector challenges
Public Sector employees encounter a range of challenges. Some are straightforward and routine, with established processes to resolve them. Others are unpredictable, constantly evolving and without a single right answer.
Understanding the different challenge types helps you to choose the right approach and level of collaboration. While some challenges may be handled efficiently within a single team, more complex challenges often demand deeper levels of collaboration across agencies and sectors.
Different types of challenges
Clear challenges
Clear challenges have well-defined problems and solutions. The relationship between cause and effect is obvious and the response is often guided by standard procedures, rules or best practice.
Complicated challenges
Complicated challenges are more demanding but still largely predictable. They require subject matter expertise and an analytical approach to identify an appropriate response. The relationship between cause and effect is reasonably clear and can be broken down into parts.
Complex challenges
Complex challenges are more abstract and relate to broad outcomes, rather than concrete outputs. In complexity, cause and effect are impossible to predict. Responding to complex challenges requires trial and error and the flexibility to change course as new information emerges.
Examples of each challenge type
| Clear challenges | Complicated challenges | Complex challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Installing safety barriers on a state road | Upgrading a highway | Improving road safety statewide |
Processing a social housing application | Constructing social housing | Reducing homelessness in urban areas |
Installing a software update | Developing an IT system | Strengthening cybersecurity resilience across government agencies |
Monitoring compliance with food safety regulations | Introducing new legislation | Ensuring laws are applied fairly across diverse communities |
Scheduling school timetables | Creating an education curriculum | Reducing educational disadvantage across different regions |
Repairing flood-damaged infrastructure | Developing flood-resistant infrastructure | Mitigating the risk of recurrent flooding |
Creating social media content about vaccine safety and efficacy | Raising awareness in communities about vaccine safety and efficacy | Influencing wide-scale behaviour change to boost falling vaccine rates |
Some challenges involve aspects of clear, complicated and complex challenges, so it’s important to know which level of collaboration to use at various points in your work or role.
Learn more about the different types of challenges by exploring the Cynefin framework.