1) The document summarizes the proceedings of a meeting on the topic of transparency as a potential strategy for addressing wicked problems. 2) Several presenters discussed transparency from different perspectives, noting that while openness can have benefits, complete transparency is not always desirable and data can be politicized. 3) Attendees were divided into groups to discuss how transparency could apply to different real-life wicked problems in healthcare, education, local governance, and election monitoring. The groups explored benefits and challenges and how transparency strategies could work or not work in each case. 4) Key insights included that transparency strategies need to consider privacy issues, economic impacts, and political dynamics, and that some problems may benefit

1. Ken
nisl
THE WICKED NOTES # 2
and
&H
ivos 14 January 2013, Issue 2 Expedition Log by Marlieke Kieboom
EM
MK@ AIL
KL.
NL TEL
020 EPHON
-57
56 7 E
20
Unlocking the Black Box:
How does transparency work?
EXPEDITION
TRANSPARENCY
13 DECEMBER, OPEN CO-OP, AMSTERDAM
It is a cold December evening when we
embark on our second Wicked adventure.
The Bite-Me catering had worked hard to
welcome us with hot, spicy drinks and
prepared delicious food, presented in
transparent and nontransparent wrappers.
Our 40-member crew arrived just in time
or rushed in fashionably late, but around
7 PM we were ready to kick-off the
second episode of the Wicked Series. This
time on transparency!
IS TRANSPARENCY A WICKED STRATEGY?
In the session on Greece transparency was
mentioned as a potential innovative
strategy. The assumption was that by
making (the movements of) information
more transparent and accessible, we might
be able to move away from the dynamics
of wicked problems. One group for
example developed ‘Greeky Leaks’, an
initiative to share and exchange skills and
knowledge on local coping strategies.
Anno 2013 there is indeed a clear trend to
more openness.
Photographer: Aukje Dekker
Kennisland / Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl / www.hivos.nl

2. THE WICKED NOTES #2! PAGE 2
The usual notion is that openness will desired knowledge about the wicked
create better governance, more problem has to be knowledge from different
accountability, more responsibility, and perspectives and experiences. It is not about
overall better outcomes in the context of who gets it right, but about sharing
wicked problems. But how does experiences about coping with such
transparency as a strategy actually work in problems. It is about tapping into this
practice? distributed knowledge and developing new
stories.
Second, we always need to look at the
INTRODUCING WICKED PROBLEMS underlying patterns and values that wire wicked
Some of our expedition members were new problems. You can find wicked problems
to the Wicked Series, others had attended pretty much in every sphere of society. But
the first session. To refresh our memory, we need to understand why and where we
Chris Sigaloff [Kennisland] took us back to get stuck. Where can we discover
our first session about Greece, where we got similarities in the patterns and start
completely entangled in the wicked understanding the underlying values? Only “Openness is not
problem of ‘ the economic crisis’. We then can we get unstuck. the same as
attempted to distil innovative strategies
from new, small, community-based Thirdly, in such a messy process it is useful transparency”
initiatives that are being hatched in the to use an approach that is characterized by
societal margins. Chris first highlighted a agility. We need to develop strategies that
few elements of wicked problems by are able to continuously jump back and
paraphrasing a thought provoking article forth from a global understanding that is
written by Jay Rosen, which can be read constantly in revision, to local solutions that
here. are constantly being tested. This approach
suits wicked problems better than the
In hindsight the exercise on Greece brought ordinary, linear strategies where people
us valuable insights on how to approach typically gather information, outline the
wicked problems as an ongoing, agile options, analyse the costs, pick the best
process. A few elements may be highlighted option, hire the experts, and implement the
here. solution. Agile development is learned
behaviour for coping with wicked problems
First, it is clear that one single person can [Jay Rosen].
never solve a wicked problem. You need a
horizontal network that contains different Fourth, we need to learn from the
types of knowledge, and people that want outgrowth of wicked problems, recognize the
to work together over an urgent issue. The smoke signals and start connecting the dots
Kennisland / Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl /www.hivos.nl

3. THE WICKED NOTES #2! PAGE 3
to discover which stories are successful and help us An old story creeps up, and the numbers
cope with wicked problems. In doing so we 1984 blatantly flash in our faces from the
cannot forget that the world looks different to double transparent screen in the room. They
people who hold different interests. But we remind us all of the Big Brother’s tale of how
can only move forward if we start an abundance of open information intrudes
understanding and recognizing these stakes into very private spheres of our lives to
and move beyond them to learn from the exercise control (check this Pizza-call!) Paul
new, inspiring, innovative initiatives that closes his story by stating that complete
sprout from the dark matter in the societal transparency is often not desirable, but we
margins. better acknowledge that opening up data is
an ongoing, increasing process. We should
WICKED TOUR GUIDES therefore continuously
We took the first hurdle by learning more ask ourselves what are
about transparency as a wicked issue. This the benefits to be in
time we had three tour guides on board to control of information?
explore the topic. Paul Keller [Kennisland], And consequently, what
expert on copyright and open access, turned are the benefits of
our minds upside down by showing us the freedom of
many faces of transparency and asking the information? In this way
audience poignant, almost philosophical we realize and recognize
questions. For example: If you have the right that data is politicized,
to access information, does it mean you and that we better deal
actually therefore need to access this with it as a given,
information? Paul explained with several instead of ignoring this
examples that data might look objective, but fact.
is often not used in an objective way by
different parties. He points out that behind Fieke Jansen [Hivos], expert
the transparency issue there are many hidden on citizen agency in relation to ICT, media
power structures. Some infrastructures might and technology continues the story of Paul
look very transparent and open, but are and makes it more complex by showing us
intended to keep people from achieving their examples from Hivos’ practice on election
goals (like obtaining access to the European monitoring initiatives in East Africa. Fieke
Union). Furthermore he claims that made it clear that initiatives that were
‘transparency leads to objectification of intended to promote transparent structures,
information’ is a stubborn myth, just as and therefore improve democratic elections,
‘privatization supposedly leads to consumers were not always making the most important
making the best choices’. According to Paul, data available. For example only making a
privacy should be seen as a property of mobile reporting system available on the day
information. With technological progress of elections, might make the elections look
systems become more transparent. This is fair to outsiders. But in real life, the rigging
something that is largely out of control of and manipulating of votes happens much Realize and
society. before the actual elections take place. Fieke’s
examples also showed that the more data was recognize that
The other side of transparency is privacy. available, the more vulnerable the system data is politicized
The technology is actually there to make became for malign purposes like data
every piece of information visible to us. manipulation. By making some data more
When this serves us well we tend to frame transparent, other data gets covered up,
this as transparency. When it is against our consequently making the situation more
interests we call it a privacy violation. In nontransparent and prone to abuse.
reality these are two sides of the same coin:
the public official who has to surrender his Nishant Shah [Centre for Internet and
expense receipts feels violated in his or her Society, Bangalore, India] was unfortunately
privacy, while the public demands access in unable to attend our session due to (very
the name of transparency. nontransparent) bureaucratic procedures.
Kennisland/Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl / www.hivos.nl

4. THE WICKED NOTES #2! PAGE 4
However thanks to our high-tech society he relevant that more transparency is achieved,
was able to share an audio note with us and what exactly should be made more
(listen here), in which he explained the transparent? Second they had to find out
various detours his visa had made. Nishant’s what would happen if this case would
story made us wonder who actually needs to actually gain more transparency. What is
become transparent in order for a actually needed to create a more
(non)transparent system to be created and transparent infrastructure in this case? And
operated? In his story he states that it is not what are the outcomes for different
enough to just build systems of stakeholders when the case becomes more
transparency. It is important to ask transparent? Third and last, the groups
ourselves how these systems are deployed, presented the outcomes to each other. The
and who are the people using them, and for insights were very inspiring and brought us Three steps in
what purpose? His story matched our some interesting, new clues, which are the assignment:
theme perfectly, and we listened to his summarized below.
contemplations on transparency quietly
before starting our group assignments. To Think
Want to listen more to his reflections? Here HEALTH CARE: GAINS AND LOSSES
To Act
is a second, not-yet-published audio-note in The group that delved into the costs of
which he takes a different angle on the story treating the Pompe disease came to know To React
of Gujarat (listen here). that raising transparency might have its
economic gains: by unlocking scientific
knowledge to the public and by pricing
FOUR TIMES TRANSPARENCY medical interventions competition maybe
So how does transparency work in our own higher and lead to faster and cheaper
practice? We were presented with four real- solutions. But this dynamic creates an
life wicked problems by actual problem ethical dilemma: who decides which price a
holders who could provide more society is willing to pay to save one life?
information on the matter right on the spot. Information is now often locked up in
The cases were presented by a doctor medical journals and dark deals in patented
(health care costs), a project manager medical industries. The health care group
(stimulating innovative education systems), a thought it would be a good idea to open up
public servant (local governance and civic this type of information. At the same time
agency) and a knowledge policy officer an overall opening up of the information in
(ICT tools and election transparency). The health care brings infringements of privacy.
groups were then asked to figure out: who Personal information about a
patient could
are the stakeholders in this case, why is it easily lead to the judgements about
one’s
Kennisland / Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl /www.hivos.nl

5. THE WICKED NOTES #2! PAGE 5
lifestyle. Does one deserve a treatment if one lives the government relaxes the formal rules in order
an unhealthy lifestyle? to collectively run a community building and
promote entrepreneurship by co-owners? The
BLACK BOX IT! group found out that in this particular case, the
How to prevent an innovative project with a frequency of (informal) activities increased if the
bottom-up, co-creative approach to evolve into a government exercised less control, demanded less
pinball game of interests and hidden agendas of transparency and gave more trust. But a demand
all parties involved? The problem holders of an by the government for more control and
education project were faced with this real time transparency actually lowered trust among the
problem in their work practice. The two working citizens with a particular interest (to make money,
groups came with coherent, valuable insights. to undertake accepted economic activities) and
One insight was the circular paradox of co-creation. increased unrest.
For a project to start, you need very clear goals, The conclusion
because vagueness will never get you the finances was drawn that if
or the commitment of parties to start it. But the things seem to
co-creation process asks for mere time and work reasonably
patience to really start understanding and sharing well, then do not
each other’s vision, language, culture, ideas and make them more
hidden agendas. Not only at the beginning, but transparent!
continuously throughout the whole working
process. This means that you can actually only The other group
define the clear goals, and what to be transparent dived into the
about, at the very end, when you have completed wicked question
your project. whether more
transparency
would lead to
This is where the usual politics (which require higher levels of democracy. They came to
constant accountability) and the dynamics of co- conclude that a transparent election system can
creation (which require agility) collide. The first work both ways. Although the system might not
strategy that could counteract this dynamic is to work as intended, it can create the illusion of
create space for the transparency of intention: what to transparency, which might generate more trust in
share with whom, at what moment? This means the democracy at stake. This dynamic can have
trust and openness is needed to be built at various positive spill over effects, for example a stable
stages throughout the process of co-creation. economy, less political unrest. But it can also
reveal severe holes in the system and show that
A second strategy is the transparency of the process: it there are real problems to be dealt with while
is important to unravel the tame problems from there is no proper political system in place to
the wicked problems in one context and have the actually deal with the problems. They concluded
parties involved recognize what they are good at that providing people with a tool does not
solving: tame or wicked problems? For example, automatically lead to more transparency, but it
ministries are good at solving tame problems, and might lead to just knowing more information. It is
so-called labs are better at working with wicked then up to the people whether they can turn the
problems. And the third, last strategy is the information into action, which is not always a
transparency of objectives: what do the different given in every country, given their political
parties want to get out of the process? This situations.
strategy is important to define what should be put
into the black box (the lab), and have the parties
accept that it cannot be defined what will come
CROWDSOURCING THE WISE ELDERS
out of the black box once it is put in there.
Our wicked quest continues! In our third and last
session we will unpack the wicked problems of
TRANSPARENT VERSUS OPAQUE our aging population and learn from innovative
The last two groups also showed interesting practices that tap into the potential and wisdom
findings. One group looked at what transparency of the elders. What can we learn from these
could do for citizens and local government in a initiatives and what innovative strategies can we
particular neighbourhood. What happens when think of to address their challenges?
Kennisland / Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl /www.hivos.nl