June 17, Conceptual boundaries of real property A socio-technical analysis of the cadastral system Presentation Aalborg Maarten Ottens Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management

June 17, Existing concepts/theories regarding (complex, technical) systems Social sciences : Actor-Network Theory, descriptive, Callon, Latour All elements are taken as intentional Physics : Complex Systems Theory, predictive Nonlinear dynamics, modelling systems by modelling the elements with simple rules and interacting Engineering sciences : Systems Engineering, prescriptive All elements as rational, logic, within laws of physics and logic

June 17, Static and dynamic system views Static system view, complexity in amount of elements, sorts of elements and relations Dynamic system view, complexity in phases in design approach, e.g. life-cycle design Structure Process Structure Process Structure

June 17, Basis model (static) 1 Technical element Social element 3 Actor 22 Actor iii i ii iv v vi Intentionality Functioning depending on laws of nature Social versus nature laws

June 17, An example without actorswith actors without social institutions landing-gearairplane with social institutions ?civic aviation Systems differ qua involvement of actors and social factors:

June 17, What is the cadastral system Ownership of real property person right land owner society owned

June 17, actors in cadastral system 1.Physical humans (intentionality)(professionals/users) 2.Organizations(collective int.) (formal) 3.Groups (informal) Owner (user) Companies (Professionals: surveyors, lawyers; Financial institutes: Banks,..; Computing: Software and Services;) Authorities (Government, judiciary (and police); government officers;) Schools (Universities etc) Groups (squatters, social movements)

June 17, social elements in cadastral system FormalInformal Norms/values (trust) Legislation (Establishing rights)Customary ‘law’ Standards ( of technical nature) Tacit knowledge Statutes (of organisations, etc) Study programsSocialization RitualsProcedures Sign systemsSymbols

June 17, technical elements in cadastral system Satellites Computers and networks Coordinate measuring devices Databases, archives; documents and maps Markers (boundary, control points, sign posts) Are markers symbols/signs?

June 17, Designing: What are the boundaries of the static cadastral system? (What to be designed?) Open for designNot open for design Systems engineering perspective Technology, Companies (as social elements) Social elements, Actors Socio-Tech system perspective Technology, Companies, Formal social elements Professionals Informal social elements, Intentional actors (users), Essential for functioning (& open for design) Trust (in others, in authorities), sense of “beruf”

June 17, Designing: How to design? Engineers: if it exists, use it, don’t design it, but if needed improve it (standards, open source software) This is then only applied to elements considered open for design. In cadastral systems however, certain other elements are so important to the functioning that they need to be designed/improved as well. For social elements the process design seems more important then the product design

June 17, Discussion: theory Social elements have material grounding (documents, boundary marks, legislation,..) abstract social versus physical technical Is there a conceptual distinction between formal and informal social elements as being designed and emerged? Markers, social or technical elements? Data?

June 17, Discussion: designing For design next to structure also process design is needed. Engineers do it, but only for technology Social elements are in Cadastral systems more important then in ‘technical’ socio-technical systems like transportation systems for functioning The classical sense of engineering design does not work for cadastral systems, because informal social elements and trust etc are not taken into account

June 17, Conclusion To deal with intentions and ‘non-designable’ elements we must look at the dynamic system Because these elements are merely influenced then designed, and influencing happens through processes rather then designed structures.