sociotechnische

Sociotechnische refers to an approach that emphasizes the interdependence of social and technical elements within complex systems, particularly organizations, work processes and technology-enabled environments. It argues that social factors—people, roles, skills, culture and norms—cannot be designed in isolation from technical factors such as tools, workflows, information systems and infrastructure, and vice versa. The core idea is joint optimization: effective performance emerges when the social and technical subsystems are aligned and mutually supportive, whereas improvements on one side can be undermined by neglect of the other.

Originating in mid-20th-century organizational studies, notably in the work of the Tavistock Institute and researchers such as Trist and Bamforth, sociotechnical theory sought to redesign work systems to fit human capabilities and social organization. Since then, the approach has influenced fields ranging from ergonomics and human factors to participatory design, information systems development and safety engineering. It is often implemented through collaborative methods that involve users and stakeholders in analysis, design and evaluation—so-called sociotechnical design or co-design—and through the explicit study of how tasks, technologies, and social structures interact.

Practically, applying a sociotechnical perspective helps anticipate unintended consequences of technology, improve user acceptance, enhance safety, and foster adaptability. Critics note that success depends on genuine stakeholder involvement and ongoing adjustment, as complex systems continually reconfigure social and technical relationships. In Dutch-language contexts, sociotechnische systemen is a common term used in management, engineering and organizational studies to describe this integrative viewpoint.