A very temporary operating instruction: uncovering emergence and adaptation in air traffic control
A very temporary operating instruction: uncovering emergence and adaptation in air traffic control
The introduction of temporary instructions to amend standard operating procedures, to address emerging safety risks, is an example of the well-intentioned decision-making that occurs every day in organisations that manage safety. These organisations typically assess these changes for potential risks; however, even simple changes can have unpredictable and emergent effects in complex sociotechnical systems. A case study of a procedural change in UK air traffic control, to address the risk from unintentional flight level deviations, is explored through the use of a model of adaptation to understand the unexpected and unpredicted effects of the change and uncover the adaptations that already existed within normal work that were a source of safety. Recommendations on the need for systemic safety methodologies that can identify and enhance the features of sociotechnical systems that support this adaptive capacity are identified with reference to this model for adaptation in complex sociotechnical systems.
adaptation, emergence, Air traffic control, safety assessment, systems thinking
Foster, Craig James
5559934e-d31a-4187-8bc1-bf7f39ddf4f4
Plant, Katherine
3638555a-f2ca-4539-962c-422686518a78
Stanton, Neville
351a44ab-09a0-422a-a738-01df1fe0fadd
18 December 2020
Foster, Craig James
5559934e-d31a-4187-8bc1-bf7f39ddf4f4
Plant, Katherine
3638555a-f2ca-4539-962c-422686518a78
Stanton, Neville
351a44ab-09a0-422a-a738-01df1fe0fadd
Foster, Craig James, Plant, Katherine and Stanton, Neville
(2020)
A very temporary operating instruction: uncovering emergence and adaptation in air traffic control.
Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 208.
(doi:10.1016/j.ress.2020.107386).
Abstract
The introduction of temporary instructions to amend standard operating procedures, to address emerging safety risks, is an example of the well-intentioned decision-making that occurs every day in organisations that manage safety. These organisations typically assess these changes for potential risks; however, even simple changes can have unpredictable and emergent effects in complex sociotechnical systems. A case study of a procedural change in UK air traffic control, to address the risk from unintentional flight level deviations, is explored through the use of a model of adaptation to understand the unexpected and unpredicted effects of the change and uncover the adaptations that already existed within normal work that were a source of safety. Recommendations on the need for systemic safety methodologies that can identify and enhance the features of sociotechnical systems that support this adaptive capacity are identified with reference to this model for adaptation in complex sociotechnical systems.
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Accepted/In Press date: 25 November 2020
e-pub ahead of print date: 18 December 2020
Published date: 18 December 2020
Keywords:
adaptation, emergence, Air traffic control, safety assessment, systems thinking
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Local EPrints ID: 445924
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/445924
ISSN: 0951-8320
PURE UUID: a6e898aa-06d3-46e8-bcfb-a46a9a994dbb
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Date deposited: 14 Jan 2021 19:14
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 06:11
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Author:
Craig James Foster
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