Understanding Social Machines

Abstract

This framework introduced in this paper aims to reflect the characteristics that social machines have been described to have. The framework uses a mixed methods approach underpinned by social theory to provide a detailed and rich understanding of the socio-technical nature of a social machine. The strength of this lies in the diversity of the data being used; whilst the quantitative approach can provide mathematical rigor to the structure and properties of the networks and appreciate its scale, the qualitative approach seeks to examine the `social relations' [12], and the context to how the social machine is enabling humans and technologies to interact and shape each other. Like many studies using empirical-based research [10], this framework takes advantage of the complementary nature that mixed methods offers, and pushes it further by using an analytical socio-technical lens.