Dynamic Socio-technical System Research Articles

Is this a violation? Learning and understanding norm violations in online communities

Using norms to guide and coordinate interactions has gained tremendous attention in the multi-agent community. However, new challenges arise as the interest moves towards dynamic socio-technical systems, where human and software agents interact, and interactions are required to adapt to human's changing needs. For instance, different agents (human or software) might not have the same understanding of what it means to violate a norm (e.g., what characterizes hate speech), or their understanding of a norm might change over time (e.g., what constitutes an acceptable response time). The challenge is to address these issues by learning the meaning of a norm violation from limited interaction data. For this, we use batch and incremental learning to train an ensemble of classifiers. Ensemble learning and data-sampling handle the imbalanced class distribution of the interaction stream. At the same time, the training approaches use different strategies to ensure that the ensemble models reflect the latest community view on the meaning of norm violation. Batch learning uses weight assignment, while incremental learning continuously updates the ensemble models as community members interact. Here, we extend our previous work by creating a different balance strategy for online learning and integrating interpretability to understand norm violations. Additionally, we evaluate the proposed approaches in the context of Wikipedia article edits, where interactions revolve around editing articles, and the norm in question is prohibiting vandalism. Lastly, we conduct ablation studies to compare the ensemble's performance against a single model approach and to examine the behavior of two data sampling techniques. Results indicate that the different machine learning frameworks can learn the meaning of a norm violation in a setting with data imbalance and concept drift, although with significant differences.

Documentation As Meta-Level Activity

Today we live in an information society, which is to a large extent also a document society (Buckland, 2018). In our daily lives, we must cope with an ever-growing flood of different documents, keep track of them, pick out relevant content, and produce documents in suitable forms. In addition, tools based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology, such as ChatGPT[1], are making their way into the document world, challenging us with new affordances, and questions about how to deal with them and what changes this will bring. Existing documentation models such as the model of complementarity (N. W. Lund, 2004), the ontology of human expression (Olsen et al., 2012), and the document phenomenology (Gorichanaz and Latham, 2016) contain valuable indications from which we can learn a lot about the process of document production. However, current models are missing out on the relations between the variables of the greater system in which they are embedded such as documents as instruments, the community, rules, and the division of labor, as well as the subject's actions, motives, and greater goals in the documentation activity. This conceptual paper presents the model of documentation activity, which on the one hand can unite and expand existing models in the field of document theory, and on the other hand provide a common crystallization point for practitioners and scholars from related fields to analyze the documentation activity within a dynamic socio-technical system. The model of documentation activity is developed along existing document theory concepts using activity theory (AT) (Engeström, 1987) as a framework. [1] ChatGPT is a system for natural language processing (NLP) based on deep learning technology which was developed by the company OpenAI. ChatGPT can generate human-like conversations by understanding the context of a conversation and generating appropriate responses. (Deng and Lin, 2023).

A multi-scenario approach to continuously learn and understand norm violations

Using norms to guide and coordinate interactions has gained tremendous attention in the multiagent community. However, new challenges arise as the interest moves towards dynamic socio-technical systems, where human and software agents interact, and interactions are required to adapt to changing human needs. For instance, different agents (human or software) might not have the same understanding of what it means to violate a norm (e.g., what characterizes hate speech), or their understanding of a norm might change over time (e.g., what constitutes an acceptable response time). The challenge is to address these issues by learning to detect norm violations from the limited interaction data and to explain the reasons for such violations. To do that, we propose a framework that combines Machine Learning (ML) models and incremental learning techniques. Our proposal is equipped to solve tasks in both tabular and text classification scenarios. Incremental learning is used to continuously update the base ML models as interactions unfold, ensemble learning is used to handle the imbalance class distribution of the interaction stream, Pre-trained Language Model (PLM) is used to learn from text sentences, and Integrated Gradients (IG) is the interpretability algorithm. We evaluate the proposed approach in the use case of Wikipedia article edits, where interactions revolve around editing articles, and the norm in question is prohibiting vandalism. Results show that the proposed framework can learn to detect norm violation in a setting with data imbalance and concept drift.

Model evaluation in human factors and ergonomics (HFE) sciences; case of trust in automation

Theories and models are central to Human Factors/Ergonomics (HFE) sciences for producing new knowledge, pushing the boundaries of the field, and providing a basis for designing systems that can improve human performance. Despite the key role, there has been less attention to what constitutes a good theory/model and how to examine the relative worth of different theories/models. This study aims to bridge this gap by (1) proposing a set of criteria for evaluating models in HFE, (2) employing a methodological approach to utilize the proposed criteria, and (3) evaluating the existing models of trust in automation (TiA) according to the proposed criteria. The resulting work provides a reference guide for researchers to examine the existing models’ performance and to make meaningful comparisons between TiA models. The results also shed light on the differences among TiA models in satisfying the criteria. While conceptual models offer valuable insights into identifying the causal factors, their limitation in operationalization poses a major challenge in terms of testability and empirical validity. On the other hand, although more readily testable and possessing higher predictive power, computational models are confined to capturing only partial causal factors and have reduced explanatory power capacity. The study concludes with recommendations that in order to advance as a scientific discipline, HFE should adopt modelling approaches that can help us understand the complexities of human performance in dynamic sociotechnical systems.

Presentation of the Special Issue. Cultural Innovation in the Basque Country: A Polyhedral View

The Special Issue entitled "Cultural innovation in the Basque Country: A polyhedral perspective" brings together 6 articles written by members of the research group of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) "INNOkLab: Laboratory of Cultural Innovation”. The articles are, precisely, the result of a reflexive process to delimit a complex but extraordinarily suggestive field of study such as cultural innovation, from an epistemological perspective that understands cultural evolution and cultural change as a constitutive part of the most dynamic socio-technical systems of the present. It is, therefore, a collective effort that attends to the links between innovation and culture from the consideration that the associations and connections that make innovation processes possible are also the result of the transformation of daily routines, identities, symbolic interpretations and emotional repertoires of the actors involved.

Women, fisheries technology and development: toward new research approaches

In fisheries and aquaculture, technology is a critical factor in sectoral development. Tracing the sectors’ post World War II development stages, we note strong links with internal and external economic and sustainability drivers but weak connections to largely external gender equality and human rights drivers. Three characteristics of the fish sectors situate women during technology change: technology linked gender divisions of labor, focus on the primary production nodes where women are least common, and multiple causes of women’s invisibility. These exclusionary characteristics, and lessons from two cases—a fish container for women petty traders in Tamil Nadu, India, and fish smoking kilns in Ghana—point to opportunities, using feminist technology studies, to understand how gender and technology shape each other. Although typically presented in a positivist manner, fish sector technology operates in complex, dynamic sociotechnical systems. To date, sociotechnical systems research has received little attention from gender researchers. In the emerging field of fisheries sociotechnical systems research, no studies have included gender. Because sociotechnical systems research deals with power, politics and transitions, feminist fisheries researchers should take an interest to ensure gender is incorporated in post hoc and anticipatory sociotechnical systems studies.

The Functional Resonance Analysis Method: A Performance Appraisal Tool for Risk Assessment and Accident Investigation in Complex and Dynamic Socio-Technical Systems

This article aims at systematically reviewing the entire collection of papers published on the development and application of the functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) in the last decade. The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology has been utilized as a formal systematic literature review standard for data gathering. The analysis encompassed 47 documents devoted to this subject matter, systematically retrieved from the online database Scopus. The findings revealed the necessity for the development of systemic safety assessment approaches to explain performance variability of complex and dynamic socio-technical systems (risk assessment or accident investigation). Indeed, it is crucial to rigorously assess the performance variability throughout safety appraisal since unexpected performance variability can combine in undesirable manners and consequently denotes a threat for safety and losses of human life. However, the FRAM process has some pros and cons as discussed in this review. Consequently, other assessment methods exist to complement the FRAM process.

Adaptive governance for the Internet of Things: Coping with emerging security risks

AbstractThe Internet of Things (IoT) is a disruptive innovation known for its socio‐economic potential, but also for generating unprecedented vulnerabilities and threats. As a dynamic sociotechnical system, the IoT comprises well‐known cybersecurity risks and endemic uncertainties that arise as IoT adoption increases and the system evolves. We highlight the impact of these challenges by analyzing how insecure IoT devices pose threats to both consumer protection and the Internet's infrastructure. While recent regulatory responses are starting to target IoT security risks, crucial deficiencies – especially related to the feedback necessary to keep pace with emerging risks and uncertainties – must be addressed. We propose a model of adaptive regulatory governance that integrates the benefits of centralized risk regulatory frameworks with the operational knowledge and mitigation mechanisms developed by epistemic communities that manage day‐to‐day Internet security. Rather than focusing on the choice of regulatory instruments, this model builds on the “planned adaptive regulation” literature to highlight the need to systematically plan for a knowledge‐sharing interface in regulatory governance design for disruptive technologies, facilitating the feedback necessary to address evolving IoT security risks.

Dynamic sociotechnical systems of activity: social support for women

В статті проаналізовано соціально-психологічне забезпечення життєдіяльності жінок в умовах динамічних соціотехнічних систем управління. Мета статті полягала у виявленні зміни зростаючого стомлення при роботі досліджуваних в умовах динамічних соціотехнічних систем діяльності. Обстежено 500 досліджуваних (оператори, фахівці) у віці від 18 до 46 років (всі жінки) в динамічних автоматизованих системах управління. Як оптимізуючий метод використано довільну психічну саморегуляцію життєдіяльності. Виявлено та скореговано негативні функціональні стани жінок щляхом оволодіння ними навичками саморегуляції (аутотренінг, ідеомоторне тренування). Програма містила вправи розминки, тренінгові вправи, дискусії, міні-лекції, роботу в парах та малих групах. Опановувалися м’язова релаксація, самонавіювання, активація рефлексивної зони свідомості. Результати. Схарактеризовано соціально-психологічні особливості взаємодії і взаємовпливу компонентів динамічних соціотехнічних систем діяльності. Здійснено психологічний аналіз тенденцій розвитку таких систем. В емпіричному дослідженні визначено особливості забезпечення життєдіяльності жінок на робочих місцях. Розроблено та апробовано концепцію соціальної підтримки їх життєдіяльності. Спрогнозовано роботоздатність жінок і можливі зміни їх функціонального стану. Здійснено обгрунтування соціально-психологічного забезпечення розвитку соціотехнічних систем діяльності, яке допоможе подолати негативні наслідки функціонування таких систем та призведе до їх подальшого розвитку за нових (ринкових) умов. Перспектива продовження дослідження вбачається в розробці психологічної теорії оптимізації процесу діяльності жінок у динамічних соціотехнічних системах. Висновки. Проведена дослідницька робота щодо вивчення особливостей життєдіяльності та роботоздатності жінок у динамічних соціотехнічних системах, виявлення прояву їх функціонального стану. Розроблено та апробовано структурно-функціональну модель соціально-психологічного забезпечення життєдіяльності жінок відносно до існуючих стадій діяльності у динамічних соціотехнічних системах. Ключові слова: система, автоматизована діяльність, неперервна інформація, користувачі, психологічна готовність.

Theory and practice of psychology of social support of lives of women in conditions of dynamic sociotechnical system

Theory and practice of psychology of social support of lives of women in conditions of dynamic sociotechnical system

Conceptualizing “Smart Cities”

“Smart City” has become a buzzword. Much is being written about smart cities as we speak, most of it promotional and uncritical. The goal of this article is not to criticize smart cities, nor is it to promote them. Rather, we would like to make a contribution to the conceptualization of smart cities and, by doing so, help the concept to become intellectually more solid. We think that this will also contribute to developing a more realistic and ultimately more practical view of what smart cities can achieve ... and what they cannot. In this article, we will proceed along the following five steps: in a first step, we will conceptualize cities as complex and dynamic socio-technical systems, a conceptualization without which “smart cities” – i. e., the penetration of cities by the information and communication technologies (a phenomenon also called digitalization) – cannot really be understood. In a second step, we will then define such digitalization much more precisely. Such a definition will be necessary in order to understand, in a third step, what digitalization exactly does to cities. In a fourth section, we will then discuss what such digitalization means for cities. In a fifth section, we will further elaborate on this and discuss the different perspectives on smart cities made possible by the digitalization of urban systems.

Conceptualizing Sociotechnical System Boundaries in Healthcare Settings

Healthcare systems are complex dynamic sociotechnical systems, in which groups of people (e.g., patients and families, clinicians) interact with different technologies (e.g., clinical decision support system, consumer health information technology) in various physical (e.g., hospital, patient home) and organizational (e.g., teamwork, culture) environments (Carayon et al., 2006; Effken, 2002; Kleiner, 2007). The complex and dynamic nature of healthcare systems results in their boundaries being increasingly fuzzy (Carayon et al., 2011; Plsek & Greenhalgh, 2001). People are no longer constrained to work in single local work systems. Instead, they work in teams across different system boundaries, including organizational, hierarchical, cultural, spatial, temporal, and process boundaries (Carayon, 2006; Karsh & Alper, 2005). New conceptualizations of healthcare system boundaries are needed to take into consideration the characteristics of complex sociotechnical systems (Carayon et al., 2015). We convene this panel to address the general question of how to conceptualize sociotechnical system boundaries in healthcare. Five panelists present examples from their respective research to illustrate the conceptualization of sociotechnical system boundaries in different healthcare domains.

Dynamic Socio-technical System Design based on Stakeholder Interaction

In order to directly involve stakeholders in socio-technical system design, we argue for streamlining executable process specifications with business process modeling. Due to current agility requirements of organizations, socio-technical system development is considered one of the key activities of members of the organizations. Dynamic process adaptation enable handling the volatility of business operation and IT infrastructure. Subject-oriented process representations are key enablers to dynamic adaptation due to their capability for stakeholders to create directly executable models. In this way stakeholder can be involved in change management pro-actively. Subject-oriented models (i) represent all relevant features required for system control and decision making, and (ii) are executable on demand. This effectiveness enables organizational change in a creative and efficient way, while establishing innovative design and change management tools. Subject-oriented Business Process Management capabilities are reflected in this realm revealing benefits and potential for further research.

Technostress in the office: a distributed cognition perspective on human–technology interaction

Technology is a mobile and integral part of many work places, and computers and other information and communication technology have made many users' work life easier, but technology can also contribute to problems in the cognitive work environment and, over time, create technostress. Much previous research on technostress has focused on the use of digital technology and its effects, measured by questionnaires, but in order to further examine how technostress arises in the modern workplace, a wider perspective on interactions between people and technology is needed. This paper applies a distributed cognition perspective to human---technology interaction, investigated through an observational field study. Distributed cognition focuses on the organisation of cognitive systems, and technostress in this perspective becomes an emergent phenomenon within a complex and dynamic socio-technical system. A well-established questionnaire was also used (for a limited sample), to gain a frame of reference for the results from the qualitative part of the study. The implications are that common questionnaire-based approaches very well can and should be complemented with a broader perspective to study causes of technostress. Based on the present study, a redefinition of technostress is also proposed.

Investigating The Dynamic Behavior Of Introducing Outcomes Assessments In Information Systems Programs For Accreditation Compliance

The success of information systems programs accreditation process is dependent on a crucial accreditation compliance requirement which is assessing programs’ outcomes and using these assessments to close the loop and introduce key adjustments in the programs to raise outcomes level above an acceptable benchmark level. Furthermore, institutions would be required to maintain these assessments processes throughout the accreditation period and produce interim reports about their implementations. However, outcomes assessments feedback implementation is a complex and dynamic process which can produce unexpected and surprising results. This study investigates the different forms of assessment process and studies its dynamics by developing an academic program model with outcomes assessments feedback. These developments are based on genuine experiences with information systems program assessments and successful accreditation by ABET. The development uses system dynamics approach which can model complex and dynamic socio-technical systems. A system dynamics modeling and simulation are developed which can help academic administrators study the consequences of any assessment policy decisions in an interactive and dynamic way. Simulation runs revealed inherent oscillation of program outcomes over the years. Both the model and the discovered program outcomes oscillation are validated by analyzing actual assessments data collected over five year period. Extenuating this oscillation demands a careful design of the assessments feedback policies as well as course delivery to balance its effects. The simulation results lead to recommending guidelines to achieve effective assessments and raise the program quality. This is a novel approach to study outcomes assessments processes using the rich system dynamics approach.

Governance in the digital age: A research and action framework for an uncertain future

Abstract Research into relationships among government, society and technology has grown substantially over the past 30 years. However, most research and most advances in practice address narrowly defined categories of concern such as government organization, citizen services, interoperability, or personal privacy. By contrast, the future presents complex and dynamic challenges that demand a more holistic and flexible perspective, including consideration of what constitutes an appropriate infrastructure for continued development of government and governance in the digital age. This paper outlines a conceptual framework for considering the future, drawn from a stakeholder-driven investigation into potential scenarios of society and government. The framework reflects a dynamic socio-technical system encompassing interactions among societal trends, human elements, changing technology, information management, interaction and complexity, and the purpose and role of government.