On Designing Evolving Cyber–Physical–Social Systems: A Decision-Based Design Perspective

Abstract The transition from the cyber–physical system to the cyber–physical–social system (CPSS) incorporates the social space as an independent entity that interacts with cyber and physical spaces, thereby incorporating human cognition, coordination, and other behavioral factors. We recognize that the social space continuously evolves in a dynamic social environment. Researchers have only recently begun to develop systematic design guidance that unifies evolvability with an explicit social-cognition dimension. The idea of evolving CPSS (E-CPSS) is relatively unexplored. An E-CPSS undergoes continuous improvement through self-adaptation and self-organization, responding to stakeholder requirements and environmental factors. By exploring the E-CPSS paradigm, we introduce the concept of continuous adaptation, which accounts for the influence of time and dynamic social contexts on decision-making. A foundation for E-CPSS is established, outlining the requirements for designing E-CPSS from functional, behavioral, and structural perspectives. In this article, the authors highlight the evolving nature of the CPSS and the pivotal role of the social entity in decision support. We have examined the key features and attributes of E-CPSSs to showcase their utility in decision-based design. Although many cyber–physical system (CPS) studies acknowledge cognition and user interaction, few provide comprehensive computational treatments of cognition, motivation, emotion, and social norms as evolving state variables. We address this gap with a conceptual map. We use this cognitive map to illustrate identified attributes and aid designers in understanding the system's evolutionary mechanism, as well as identifying potential avenues of exploration and research gaps in the field.