A socio-technical framework for Internet-of-Things design: A human-centered design for the Internet of Things

• Case study of a socio-technical framework to assess and predict the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) in Korea.
• Investigates the complex interaction between social and technical aspects of the IoT.
• Describes the challenges in designing, deploying, and sustaining the diverse components of the IoT.
• Conceptualize how the IoT can be designed and situated within human-centered contexts.

This study presents a case application of a socio-technical framework to assess and predict the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) in Korea. Applying a socio-technical system approach to the IoT, this paper seeks a clear understanding of how the IoT will evolve and stabilize in a smart environment. It investigates the complex interaction between social and technical aspects of the IoT, by highlighting the co-evolution, interaction, and interface, which constitute the next generation network environment. It describes the challenges in designing, deploying, and sustaining the diverse components of the IoT, and provides a snapshot of Korea’s current approach to meeting this challenge. Finally, the findings of this study provide insights into these challenges and opportunities, by offering a socio-technical analysis of IoT development. The insights help to conceptualize how the IoT can be designed and situated within human-centered contexts.