The ironies of automation ... still going strong at 30?

Motivation - Bainbridge highlighted some of the ironies of automation 30 years ago and identified possible solutions. Society is now highly dependent on complex technological systems, so we assess our performance in addressing the ironies in these systems.

Research approach - A critical reflection on the original ironies of automation, followed by a review of three domains where technology plays a critical role using case studies to identify where ironies persist.

Findings/Design - The reliability and speed of technology have improved, but the ironies are still there. New ironies have developed too, in cloud computing where the cheaper cost of computing resources can lead to systems that are less dependable when developers bypass company procedures.

Research limitations/Implications - The work relies on published or reported cases. This makes it difficult to precisely determine how widespread the issues are.

Originality/Value - The research re-iterates the importance of the need to regularly consider the ironies of automation in systems development so that we can mitigate against any potential adverse consequences.

Take away message - The more we depend on technology and push it to its limits, the more we need highly-skilled, welltrained, well-practised people to make systems resilient, acting as the last line of defence against the failures that will inevitably occur.