OpenSEAT: A computer framework to jointly model qualitative evaluation and quantitative design aspects of complex sociotechnical systems

Abstract

Complex sociotechnical systems and associated “wicked problems” do not have closed loop solutions. For example redevelopment projects that are undertaken to improve sustainability and resilience of urban built infrastructure do not often take into account the livelihoods of the resident population as formal design parameters unless the “mental models” of key stakeholders can relate the physical and human aspects together. Few people have the experience, system understanding, and influence to maintain these relationships throughout the system lifecycle. We would like to formally capture these mental models, but we lack the tools to successfully integrate the quantitative and verifiable physical infrastructure design models with the more qualitative social models that must be evaluated over time. This paper discusses the development of a design tool framework and an associated use case that combines qualitative evaluation and quantitative design aspects of a complex system into a common model-based systems engineering (MBSE) environment. This allows us to develop several new systems engineering paradigms: definition of “system constructs” that represent aggregation of combined physical and social design parameters; representation of multiple contexts in the design artifacts; formal capture of system level conceptual design into a common knowledge environment; and collaborative design tools that span multiple disciplines and differing abstraction levels. The OpenSEAT initiative is utilizing emerging research on software and systems-of-systems engineering methods and tools to design a modeling and simulation framework for data analysis and decision support in such complex sociotechnical systems. The framework supports conceptual models that capture the qualitative analysis of emerging sociotechnical systems and phenomena, which are then used to inform analytical models that can be used to analyze relevant objective measures and relationships of a design in operational use. Many aspects of the tool framework are mature, but projects using the tool framework to actually merge quantitative and qualitative analysis are currently in the conceptual design phases. One current project is developing a novel model representing human capital development in association with emerging technological systems development. The human capital model is then represented in a design tradespace that addresses both physical and social aspects of sustainable and resilient communities.