Some thoughts on the nature of Sociotechnical Systems

As I contemplate the nature of sociotechnical systems, I can’t help but marvel at the complex web of interactions that underlies their functioning. It’s like a grand dance, where human and non-human actors alike interact in intricate ways to achieve a specific goal. And yet, this dance is shaped by many factors - social norms, economic pressures, and technical specifications - that all come together to create something unique and special.

In my view, Actor-Network Theory offers a fascinating framework for understanding sociotechnical systems and the interactions between their actors. It recognizes that technology is a product of human ingenuity and a sociotechnical object shaped by various actors and factors. By examining the network of actors and their interactions, this framework can help us better understand the power dynamics and relationships that define these systems. For instance, using this theoretical framework, we could optimize their performance and achieve better outcomes by identifying the key stakeholders and their interests and examining the factors that shape their development and evolution.

Ultimately, I find that it offers a refreshing and insightful perspective on sociotechnical systems. It helps me appreciate these systems’ complex and multifaceted nature and understand each actor’s critical role in shaping their development and success.

This also leads me to think about scenarios where such systems can fail. What happens when human actors turn bad? What if the non-human actors of such systems are compromised? This makes me want to explore the resilience of such systems.

Particularly in the context of systems, I seek to develop: systems that facilitate the collaboration, development, and synthesis of knowledge; with the alarming increase in the adoption of AI and ginormous leaps in computing power, there needs to be a system of checks and balances in place to enable security on multiple fronts: cognitive security of human actors from bias and misinformation propagated by maladapted intelligent systems, cybersecurity to protect intelligent systems from being compromised by human actors.

Contextualizing this with the work of Dr. Ferraiolo’s pioneering work on access control, makes me want to explore how these principles could be applied to answer these longstanding questions of mine.