DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATICS UNIVERSITYOF FRIBOURG (SWITZERLAND) URANOS A Generic System Model for Human-Centered Design THESIS Presented to the Faculty of Science of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) in consideration for the award of the academic grade of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Computer Science by BENJAMIN HADORN from SWITZERLAND Thesis No: 1993 UniPrint, Fribourg 2016 Accepted by the Faculty of Science of the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) upon the recommendation of: • Prof. Dr. Denis Lalanne, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, President • Prof. Dr. Beat Hirsbrunner, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Thesis Supervisor • Dr. Michele Courant, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Expert • Prof. Dr. Jacques Ferber, University of Montpellier, France, Expert • Prof. Dr. Paul Pangaro, College for Creative Studies, Detroit, USA, Expert Fribourg, 3. Nov. 2016 Thesis Supervisor Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Beat Hirsbrunner Prof. Dr. Christian Bochet ii Acknowledgements Writing a PhD thesis is a long-term project in which many impressions are attained, and into which also a lot of effort and time has been put. Writing about the experiences and knowledge at the end in this concentrated form, was a big challenge, one which would hardly have been possible without external support. First, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Béat Hirsbrunner for the support of this work. Under his leadership and with his confidence in my work, it was possible to explore and develop these generic approaches. Furthermore, I would also like to thank Dr. Michèle Courant and Dr. Paul Pangaro for their valuable input into this project. They gave me deep insights into integral thinking and cybernetics. Special thanks also to Dr. Agnes Lisowska Masson. With her support and meticulous corrections she helped me to improve my English. A very special thanks goes to my family, my wife Manuela and my daughters Aylin and Elen. They have often to spend time without their husband and father in the last few years. Without their emotional support, this project would not have happened. Fribourg, 3. Nov. 2016 Benjamin Hadorn iii Abstract With the increasing digitalization of the workplace and the private environment, holistic approaches are becoming more important in order to be able to optimally integrate and serve human beings. Our work focuses on modeling for human-centered systems, where human and machine form an adaptive learning organization and work together to achieve their common goals. Here, humans are handled as holistic and even spiritual beings and forming a human-machine symbiosis. Approaching human-centered system design, we developed a holistic and generic system model, called URANOS. The model allows to describe systems properties which are not considered in classical approaches, such as the influence of machines within humans’ natural and socio-cultural environments. Therefore, it provides a deep understanding of dynamics and evolutionary development of complex and non-linear systems. From this generic and systemic standpoint, we propose several design principles for human-centered systems that ensure human dignity and integrity, i.e. to not be harmed, enslaved, reduced, etc. In a concrete prototype design addressing smart industrial machines, we show how these principles can be applied and what their implications are. Keywords: Human-Machine Symbiosis Generic System Model Human-centered Design ¢ ¢ ¢ Holistic System Modeling Cybernetics Systemics Integral Thinking Coordination Cyber- ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ physical System Adaptive System Learning Organization Industry 4.0 ¢ ¢ ¢ v Zusammenfassung Mit der zunehmenden Digitalisierung des Arbeitsplatzes und dem privaten Umfeld werden ganzheitliche Ansätze wichtiger, damit Systeme und Menschen gewinnbringend zusammen arbeiten können. Unsere Arbeit konzentriert sich auf die Modellierung von human-centered Systemen, in denen der Mensch und die Maschine eine adaptive Lernorganisation bilden und zusammen arbeiten, um gemeinsam Ziele erreichen zu können. In diesem Zusam- menhang werden Menschen als ganzheitliche und sogar als spirituelle Wesen behandelt. In einer vollkommenen Zusammenarbeit können Mensch-Maschine-Symbiosen entstehen. Um human-centered Systeme besser zu verstehen, entwickelten wir das ganzheitliche und generische Systemmodell URANOS. Es ermöglicht Systemeigenschaften zu beschreiben, die in klassischen Ansätzen nicht in Betracht gezogen werden, wie der Einfluss von Maschinen auf die natürlichen und soziokulturellen Umgebungen des Menschen. Dabei liefert das Modell ein tiefes Verständnis über die Dynamik und evolutionäre Entwicklung von komplexen und nichtlinearen Systemen. Von diesem generischen Standpunkt aus schlagen wir verschiedene Design-Prinzipien für human-centered Systeme vor, welche die menschliche Würde und Integrität in einer Mensch-Maschine Symbiose bewahren sollen. In einem konkreten Prototyp- Design beschreiben wir intelligente Industriemaschinen, und zeigen wie diese Prinzipien angewendet werden können und welche Auswirkungen sie haben. Schlüsselwörter: Mensch-Maschine Symbiose Generisches Systemmodell Human-centered ¢ ¢ Design Ganzheitliche Systemmodellierung Kybernetik Systemik Integrales Denken Koor- ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ dination Cyber-physical System Adaptive Systeme Lernende Organisationen Industrie ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ 4.0 vii Contents Acknowledgements iii Abstract v Zusammenfassung vii 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Research Goals......................................2 1.2 Focus of the Thesis....................................2 1.2.1 Generic Approach................................2 1.2.2 Human-Centered Approach...........................3 1.2.3 Limits........................................4 1.3 Research Challenges...................................4 1.4 Contributions.......................................4 1.5 Assumptions........................................5 1.5.1 Open and Non-Linear Systems.........................5 1.5.2 System Complexity................................5 1.6 Thesis Outline.......................................6 2 Generic System Models - Background and Related Work9 2.1 Cybernetics........................................9 2.1.1 Origins....................................... 10 2.1.2 First-order Cybernetics............................. 10 2.1.3 Second-order Cybernetics............................ 11 2.1.4 Self-Organization................................. 12 2.1.5 Autopoiesis.................................... 13 2.1.6 Conversation Theory............................... 14 2.2 Systemics.......................................... 15 2.2.1 System Theories.................................. 16 2.2.2 Systems Thinking................................. 17 2.2.3 Systemic Metamodel............................... 18 2.2.4 Generic Agency Model.............................. 20 2.3 Coordination....................................... 21 2.3.1 Coordination Theory............................... 21 ix Contents 2.3.2 Coordination Models............................... 22 2.4 Summary.......................................... 25 3 URANOS: A Generic System Model 27 3.1 About Epistemology................................... 27 3.1.1 Epistemological Standpoints.......................... 28 3.1.2 Abstraction Continuum............................. 29 3.2 First-order: Observable Entities............................ 31 3.2.1 Entity........................................ 31 3.2.2 Interaction..................................... 32 3.2.3 Evolution and Time................................ 32 3.2.4 Subsystems.................................... 33 3.2.5 Equilibrium.................................... 34 3.2.6 Rules........................................ 34 3.2.7 Interactive System................................ 35 3.3 Second-order: Smart Entities.............................. 37 3.3.1 Topology...................................... 37 3.3.2 Observation and Acting............................. 38 3.3.3 Awareness..................................... 41 3.3.4 Autopoietic System................................ 41 3.4 Third-order: Enactive Entities.............................. 42 3.4.1 Holistic Characteristics............................. 43 3.4.2 Consciousness Complexity........................... 44 3.4.3 Autogenetic System................................ 45 3.5 Entity Collaboration................................... 47 3.5.1 Goal-Directness.................................. 47 3.5.2 Conversation................................... 48 3.5.3 Symbiosis..................................... 50 3.6 System Development................................... 52 3.6.1 Stages of System Development......................... 53 3.6.2 Driving Forces................................... 54 3.7 Towards n-th order Systems............................... 55 3.7.1 Systemic Order vs. Layers............................ 56 3.7.2 Holon: Possible Fourth-Order?......................... 56 3.8 Summary.......................................... 58 4 Model Instantiations 61 4.1 Body-Mind Continuum of Human Beings....................... 62 4.1.1 The Mind-Body Problem............................ 62 4.1.2 Human Being................................... 63 4.1.3 Living Environment............................... 65 4.1.4 Summary...................................... 67 4.2 Integral Thinking..................................... 68 x Contents 4.2.1 The AQAL Model................................. 68 4.2.2 Integral Abstraction Continuum........................ 71 4.2.3 System Dynamics................................. 73 4.2.4 Summary.....................................