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organizational dynamics and change. Humans in complex organizational contexts are
viewed as being influenced by technological, social and cultural environments which are
constantly changing. This is in turn assumed to affect the performance organization. In
order to improve performance of the information system and the social context, it is
argued that social and technical dimensions need to be aligned - a process referred to as
joint optimization [1].
Sociotechnical perspectives have been applied to:
1) information system engineering - in order to inform technological designs that
integrate well with the social environments in which they are used; and
2) the evaluation of information system implementation, adoption and optimization
- in order to inform organizational efforts to create social environments that maximize
benefits of technology [2].
This approach contrasts with earlier perceptions that workers had to adapt to
technological requirements in order to realize potential benefits associated with
technological change [3].
Sociotechnical approaches are a popular choice when examining the
implementation of information technology (IT) in healthcare settings. They are well
suited to explore changing organizational and healthcare professional practices
accompanying technology introduction in complex environments [4-6]. Here, new
technological systems are viewed as an addition to established organizational structures
and work practices. These changes can lead to requirements for re-organization in social
subsystems, often resulting in a tension between the technological demand for structured
data entry and the fluid context-dependent nature of healthcare professional work.
Conversely, sociotechnical approaches can also be used to examine how social and
organizational practices result in changes in technological design.
Box 1 summarizes Coiera’s four rules for sociotechnical design in healthcare
settings, which exemplify the implications of a sociotechnical approach [2].
Box 1: Coiera’s four rules for sociotechnical design
Rule 1: “Technical systems have social consequences”: technology introduction
affects the user and the individuals surrounding the user e.g. the patient
Rule 2: “Social systems have technical consequences”: e.g. organizational
culture, champions, role models may impact on the uptake of technology
Rule 3: “We don’t design technology, we design sociotechnical systems”: design
needs to shift to incorporate social processes, and from consideration of a single user
to the recognition that collaboration in healthcare is crucial
Rule 4: “To design sociotechnical systems, we must understand how people and
technologies interact”: the need to gather more data on human computer interaction
in clinical environments e.g. cognitive overload, time pressured situations, workload
1.2. Actor-Network Theory-based approaches to studying technology implementation
Actor-Network Theory (ANT) can be viewed under the sociotechnical systems
umbrella, as it focuses on exploring the interrelated nature of social and technological
subsystems. It has its origins in sociological and anthropological approaches to
K.Cresswell /UsingActor-NetworkTheory toStudyHealth InformationTechnology
Interventions88
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book Applied Interdisciplinary Theory in Health Informatics - Knowledge Base for Practitioners"
Applied Interdisciplinary Theory in Health Informatics
Knowledge Base for Practitioners
- Title
- Applied Interdisciplinary Theory in Health Informatics
- Subtitle
- Knowledge Base for Practitioners
- Authors
- Philip Scott
- Nicolette de Keizer
- Andrew Georgiou
- Publisher
- IOS Press BV
- Location
- Amsterdam
- Date
- 2019
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY-NC 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-1-61499-991-1
- Size
- 16.0 x 24.0 cm
- Pages
- 242
- Category
- Informatik