A Synthesis of Sociotechnical Principles for System Design

Abstract

A set of Sociotechnical System (STS) Principles that aims to optimise both the social and the technical aspects of the work system have been derived from many STS design efforts and experiences. In particular, the sets of principles have been developed by Trist and Bamforth [35], Cherns [9, 10], Davis [14], Berniker [5], Clegg [11], Walker et al. [41], Read et al. [30] and Waterson and Eason [45]. The current paper reviewed and compared the aforementioned seventy years of mainstream sociotechnical principles for system design. The principles were identified from a systematic review, grouped by similarity, and synthesised into an updated set of principles for researchers and organisations to use and discuss. In the tradition of all previous sociotechnical principles, they seek to provide criteria for designing organisational structures, group work, work processes, design processes, technology and individual tasks. They are also used as criteria to evaluate a set of existing ergonomics methods. The fortunes of sociotechnical theory have ebbed and flowed over the past seventy years, but the value of sociotechnical principles has remained. They are now increasingly relevant to a host of distinctly 21st century problems, all of which share a common imperative to effectively integrate people and technology. A synthesis of existing sociotechnical principles is overdue.