Interactions of software technology with technologies and social issues: Interfaces and requirements for interdisciplinary collaboration

Today's world may be best described as "rapidly changing, interacting, evolving network of systems". In this complicated structure, understanding multiple dynamics of change for emerging key technologies is a big challenge for developing countries. This raises the importance of scientific future studies like foresighting within technology management discipline. Interaction frequency of some emerging key information technologies like software are outstanding. Software improves evolutionary and this evolution is powered by not only interacting technologies, but social, economical, political, sociological, psychological factors as well. In order to open the opportunity window which software technology offers, developing countries need to understand these interfaces and design their S&T policies accordingly. In this conceptual framework, this paper discusses the role of interactions in software evolution and tries to identify prior interfaces of software technology with other technologies and social factors. Analysis is based on findings of a specific foresighting practice that was conducted in Turkey including Delphi and scenario planning processes. The output was a long list of research themes that highlights the importance of closer conversation and collaboration between social scientists and software technologists. Rising need for strong interdisciplinary collaboration forces will be the first priority in the S&T agenda of developing countries like Turkey, where collaboration culture is still immature. (c) 2006 PICMET.