The design of a research tool for conducting research in a complex socio-technical system

Abstract

This paper presents research relating to the challenges of conducting research in a complex, socio-technical system. The result of this research is that a conventional research approach is fundamentally reactive and does not always produce the desired results when applied to such a complex, socio-technical system. The literature suggests that approaching the research from a problem investigation and problem improvement point of view will provide better results. This article describes the design of a research tool using a design science research methodology that can be used for such investigations and improvement identification and evaluation activities.

Hierdie artikel bespreek van die uitdagings wat ondervind word wanneer daar navorsing gedoen word in 'n komplekse sosio-tegniese stelsel. Die navorsing toon dat die tradisionele navorsings-benadering in n komplekse sosio-tegniese omgewing fundamenteel reaktief is, en dat dit nie altyd die gewense resultate teweeg bring nie. Uit die literatuur het dit duidelik geword dat n meer gewense oplossing is om die navorsing van uit n probleemondersoek- en probleemverbeteringsoogpunt te benader. Hierdie artikel bespreek die ontwerp van n navorsingsinstrument deur gebruik te maak van n ontwerpswetenskap navorsingsmetodologie. Dit kan gebruik word vir soortgelyke ondersoeke en vir die identifisering en evaluasie van moontlike verbeterings.