Modeling engineering systems as socio-technical systems

Abstract

The IEEE standard for the systems engineering process is problematic when applied to the design of (socio-technical) systems. This is argued using examples of automated vehicle systems. A conceptualization of socio-technical systems is introduced. This distinguishes technical and social elements and agents, as well as four kinds of relations. Next to physical and functional relations, intentional and normative relations play an important role. The IEEE standard defines social elements as contextual and focuses on total design control. Because of the involvement of agents and social elements in socio-technical systems both these viewpoints are problematic.