Socio-technical methods
A multi-perspective view
Socio-technical methods in software engineering consider individual, organizational (social),
and technical factors. Applying these methods can contribute to the design of effective and
efficient organizational structures, methods, and processes.
The development of sociotechnical methods in software engineering stems from the realization that
an isolated consideration of the task spectrum fails to do justice to its true complexity and
existing interrelationships.
For example, interactions can be described between the levels of
(1) individual,
(2) interaction/situation, and
(3) organizational/structural framework conditions,
which are distinguishable globally and locally and change over time.
Global influences are imposed on the organization, the situation, and the individual from the outside,
while the individual's position and perspective change through interaction within the organization.
This opens up a research approach based on the application of sociotechnical methods and measures.
Socio-technical approaches are rarely considered in organizational contexts,
even though their importance has been recognized and scientifically grounded since the early 1960s.
Empirical studies from recent years suggest that the reasons for their reluctance
to use them lie in the difficulty of practical implementation and a lack of connection between these methods,
technical issues, and internal priorities at the operational or tactical level.