A Socio-Technical Approach to Systems Design

This paper examines how the structure of organisations is changing as a result of the global market and new technology and it discusses how these changes are affecting the nature of work. It identifies systems design as a problem-solving activity that requires a multidisciplinary approach, examines the current and new problems of complex systems design and describes how a socio- technical approach which takes account of technical, organisational, economic and social needs can assist the creation of humanistic and effective systems for tomorrow’s world.