Chapter 5 - Beyond Error: The Language of Coordination and Stability

Abstract

This chapter discusses the language of coordination and stability. The chapter begins with the assumption that the problem of adaptation and breakdown in complex socio-technical systems is not one of identifying the causes of errors, but rather of understanding the constraints on coordination and stability. It is important to use control theory, which can provide a useful framework. The value of this framework will depend on the precision and consistency in the use of the concepts. Noise from the perspective of regulation is information from the perspective of observation. Each perspective reveals a piece of the overall puzzle, but no perspective is complete. Some distinctions within the control theory framework are useful in addressing the problem of coordination. The search for the cause of errors in complex socio-technical systems will always lead to an infinite regress into a bottomless and turbulent sea. The language of control theory offers a more global perspective. Complex systems cannot be engineered so that error is eliminated but perhaps they can be engineered in a way that promotes and facilitates coordination.