Simply Complex: Are LED Outdoor Activities Complex Sociotechnical Systems?

Abstract

Although typically applied in safety-critical domains such as aviation, transport, and nuclear power, there is a growing body of research focusing on the application of sociotechnical systems theory to led outdoor activity systems. Antagonists of this approach have argued that led outdoor activities are simple and therefore that a complex sociotechnical systems approach is invalid and unwarranted. This paper seeks to determine whether led outdoor activity systems are complex by comparing their characteristics to established characteristics of complexity theory and sociotechnical systems theory. Features of led outdoor activity work systems are decomposed and compared with theoretical benchmarks of complexity. The findings show that systems of work that afford these simple experiences are indeed both complex and sociotechnical in nature. It is concluded that application of sociotechnical systems theory and methods is both appropriate and required to attain improvements in practice and safety. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.