New Ways to Model Cities as Complex Systems

Nicholas Stevens; Magdy Youssef; Paul Salmon

doi:10.25916/5ed9b5f70fa9a

Back

New Ways to Model Cities as Complex Systems

Conference paper

Open access

Peer reviewed

New Ways to Model Cities as Complex Systems

Nicholas Stevens, Magdy Youssef and Paul Salmon

Proceedings of the 9th State of Australian Cities National Conference, pp.1-16

State of Australian Cities Conference and PhD Symposium, 9th (Perth, Australia, 30-Nov-2019–05-Dec-2019)

State of Australian Cities National Conference

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.25916/5ed9b5f70fa9a

Files and links (3)

pdf

New Ways to Model Cities as Complex Systems2.43 MBDownload View

Published Version Open Access

url

http://soac2019.com.au/View

Event Website

url

https://doi.org/10.25916/5ed9b5f70fa9aView

Published Version

Abstract

Urban Planning

Smart Cities

sociotechnical systems

work domain analysis

city models

human factors and ergonomics

cities and towns

Cities are complex systems and the ways in which we consider and conceive them requires disruption. This disruption is not technological, but methodological – providing new ways to understand and explore their structure, composition and potential. This paper outlines an approach to modelling the complexities of cities, utilising smart cities as a case study. Drawing on the scientific and methodological legacy of the discipline of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) the research outlines and applies a Sociotechnical Systems (STS) understanding of complex city systems. STS approaches were conceived to assist in the design of complex systems within which human operators are key components but interact with many technical elements (e.g. nuclear power plants). This paper argues that our cities are STS (humans, technology and their environment) and explores this via the application of the HFE method of Cognitive Work Analysis. An STS model of an architype smart city was developed to draw together the array of smart city perspectives and explore possibilities for the design of new city systems. The smart city was modelled across five hierarchical levels - detailing, describing and linking the purposes, values and priorities, the activities that are performed, and the physical objects that make up a smart city. The model is formative in nature, moving away from reductionist approaches of how cities ‘should’ be designed to explore how they ‘could’ be designed. It allows all stakeholders to better understand the complex nature of humans, technology and their environment, revealing it is possible to create cities that cope with complexity rather than collapse under it

Details

Title: New Ways to Model Cities as Complex Systems
Authors: Nicholas Stevens (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
Magdy Youssef (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Social Sciences - Legacy
Paul Salmon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
Publication details: Proceedings of the 9th State of Australian Cities National Conference, pp.1-16
Conference details: State of Australian Cities Conference and PhD Symposium, 9th (Perth, Australia, 30-Nov-2019–05-Dec-2019)
Publisher: State of Australian Cities National Conference
Date published: 2019
DOI: 10.25916/5ed9b5f70fa9a
Organisation Unit: Bioclimatic and Sociotechnical Cities Lab; Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Law and Society
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99477007902621
Output Type: Conference paper

Metrics

53 File views/ downloads

95 Record Views