Navigating Complexity and Wicked Problems in Technology Integration with Design Thinking: AMEE Guide No. 193

Technological change has become increasingly common in this era of digitalisation, with new technologies frequently introduced to enhance teaching and learning. However, as with any change, the implementation of technology is rarely straightforward. Unintended consequences, contextual constraints, and disruptions to existing practices can create significant challenges and barriers to successful digital transformation. Introducing a new technology often requires changes across multiple layers of complex educational systems. We therefore ask: What are the challenges and ways forward in respect of the planning, development and implementation of technological change in health professions education? In this AMEE Guide, we propose that technological change within the complexity of health professions education can be understood as a wicked problem. After considering this in depth, we then explore design thinking as an operational approach for navigating such complexity through iterative problem framing, stakeholder engagement, prototyping, testing, and refinement. We use the development lifecycle of a learning analytics dashboard as an example to examine the systemic challenges that arise when introducing digital transformation into health professions education. The Guide concludes by considering implications for future research and practice and presenting a set of Practice Points to support educators and institutions undertaking technological change.