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Managing Complexity in Socio-Technical Systems by Mimicking Emergent Simplicities in Nature: A Brief Communication
Andrea Falegnami1, Andrea Tomassi1, Giuseppe Corbelli1
1Faculty of Management Engineering, International Telematic University Uninettuno, 00186 Roma, Italy.
Biomimetics (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2024
Summary
Traditional engineering fails for socio-technical systems. We propose viewing them as living entities, introducing "simplexity" and "complixity" to better understand and guide these complex human-activity systems.
Area of Science:
- Socio-technical Systems Engineering
- Complex Systems Theory
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Traditional engineering approaches are insufficient for understanding and managing socio-technical systems.
- Existing perspectives often oversimplify the intricate dynamics inherent in systems involving both human and technical components.
- There is a need for new conceptual frameworks to address the complexity of socio-technical systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel perspective for analyzing socio-technical systems.
- To introduce new terminology for describing the nature of these systems.
- To provide a foundation for guiding the function of socio-technical systems.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of socio-technical systems.
- Drawing parallels with natural systems' design principles.
- Development of new terminology: simplexity and complixity.
Main Results:
- Socio-technical systems can be conceptualized as complex living entities.
- The concepts of simplexity and complixity offer a more nuanced understanding of system dynamics.
- This new perspective facilitates guiding system function by acknowledging inherent complexity.
Conclusions:
- A shift from traditional engineering to a living-entity perspective is necessary for socio-technical systems.
- Simplexity and complixity provide essential terminology for this new paradigm.
- Understanding and guiding socio-technical systems requires embracing their inherent complexity.
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