Information Technologies in Complex Socio-Technical Systems Based on Functional Variability: A Case Study on HVAC Maintenance Work Orders

Abstract

Information technology (IT) systems are known to promote improvements in quality and productivity of the work environments of complex and adaptive socio-technical systems that span hardware, community and software aspects. Systems development lies in eliciting and specifying requirements. However, current requirements of elicitation techniques are limited to correctly understanding the complexity involved in socio-technical systems. Therefore, approaches based on Resilience Engineering can provide concepts and methods for a better understanding of socio-technical systems’ functioning. This study aims to increase the application of the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) in the requirements elicitation process. Specifically, understanding variability and its role in enhancing the requirements elicitation and specification process for the design/redesign of IT systems in complex socio-technical systems deployed in building maintenance is the main goal. This study proposes the merging of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) and Resilience Engineering concepts with Software Engineering. A case study was performed with workers to produce requirements specifications for work order issuing activity. This case study indicates the usefulness of the proposed approach for the specification of functional requirements to redesign the IT system examined. FRAM enables inferences to be made from hidden or fuzzy situations that are often not expressed by system users or are not detected by the system designer.