Academic Journal
Advancing sociotechnical systems theory: New principles for human-robot team design and development.
| Title: | Advancing sociotechnical systems theory: New principles for human-robot team design and development. |
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| Authors: | Ang KCS; Robotics Institute, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: Karyne.ang@uts.edu.au., Sankaran S; School of Built Environment, Faculty of Design and Society, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: shankar.sankaran@uts.edu.au., Liu D; Robotics Institute, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: dikai.liu@uts.edu.au. |
| Source: | Applied ergonomics [Appl Ergon] 2025 Nov; Vol. 129, pp. 104604. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Aug 02. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Review |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0261412 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1872-9126 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00036870 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Appl Ergon Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Oxford : Butterworth-Heinemann Original Publication: London. |
| MeSH Terms: | Robotics*/ethics , Man-Machine Systems* , Systems Theory*, Humans ; Cooperative Behavior ; Ergonomics ; Artificial Intelligence ; Trust |
| Abstract: | This paper reviews and adapts sociotechnical systems (STS) principles for the design and development of Human-Robot Teams (HRTs). Through a collaborative review process, the authors identify existing STS principles relevant to HRTs, suggest modifications, and introduce new ones to address the unique challenges of designing and developing human-robot teams. A framework of 34 STS principles grouped into seven themes is presented: Systems Design and Adaptation, Human-centered Approach, Integration and Optimization, Collaboration and Participation, Information and Communication, Organizational Alignment and Process Management, and Trust and Reliability. To address the dynamic nature of HRTs incorporating mutual understanding between humans and intelligent robots, eight new principles are introduced: Adaptive Autonomy, Agility and Responsiveness (future thinking), Cognitive Workload Management, Ethical Considerations, Transparency and Explainability, Collaborative Sensemaking, Trustworthiness and Unpredictability Management. This STS framework bridges traditional STS theory and AI-enhanced HRTs, guiding developers in creating effective, trustworthy, and ethical HRTs. The paper benefits researchers, developers, and organizations by addressing sociotechnical complexities and upholding a more balanced, ethical, and human-centered collaboration in HRT development. (Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.) |
| Competing Interests: | Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:None. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Design; Human-robot teams; STS principles; Sociotechnical systems |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250803 Date Completed: 20250910 Latest Revision: 20250911 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104604 |
| PMID: | 40753964 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1872-9126 |
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| DOI: | 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104604 |