Chapter 19, Problem 19.1E

Explanation of Solution

Complex Socio-technical systems in Government:

A complex organization design that recognizes the interaction between technology and people and is not limited only to software is known as socio-technical system.

A socio-technical system considers requirements spanning hardware, software, personal, and community aspects and applies an understanding of the social structures, roles and rights to inform the design of systems that involve communities of people and technology and it is a dependable process and also reduces errors and avoid failure.

Most of the systems used in government organizations are socio-technical systems. Some of the examples of government functions that are supported by complex socio-technical systems are:

• Criminal Justice System is supported by government through socio-technical systems and it is a series of government agencies and institutions that identify and catch the law-breakers and punish them.
• Air traffic system is supported by government through socio-technical systems and it is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airspace.

In the foreseeable future, these functions cannot be fully automated because:

• Socio-technical systems have they have emergent properties and are often nondeterministic and their objectives can change on very short notice and will evolve along technology.
• Socio-technical systems are based on complex national and regional laws that have to be interpreted by people and also involve interaction with individuals whose personal circumstances may not be simply to describe and so also have to be interpreted by people and hence they depend on people and cannot be fully automated.