Human Contributions to Complex Sociotechnical Systems

Abstract: Human–computer interaction (HCI) and cognitive psychology literatures show a lack of common ground regarding the use of verbal reports as data for studies of human behavior. An integrative approach is presented as a solution in which the collegial verbalization (CV) method with a new “conspective” protocol is used to create comparability between individuals' (colleagues') verbal statements. The method integrates different verbal reporting techniques along a methodological continuum. The key factor is a shift from a process-oriented view of human cognition in favor of content-oriented domain-specific knowledge, inspired by an ecological-triadic view of human cognition. Results from four different domains illustrate the method's potential, both as a new method for knowledge acquisition and for exploring human contributions, a topic that is not particularly well illustrated in research in either psychology or HCI. The results point to the important conclusion that humans are ‘stabilizers’ of complex sociotechnical systems. Another unique feature of the method is that it can be applied to identify actions that may pose risks at an early stage and thus create collegial and more resilient safety cultures.