Our approach
The social and the technical, together.
Social Technical is a new kind of consultancy, built on a simple but often-forgotten idea: technology only delivers its promise when the human systems around it thrive too.
What makes us different
Three principles guide everything we do
Research-led
Our work comes from rigorous research into technology, work and society, from post-war organisational studies to the latest findings on AI.
Evidence-based
We help you make decisions using real evidence about what is happening in your organisation, not hype or vendor promises.
People-centred
Human flourishing is the goal. We design adoption around your people’s relationships, roles and wellbeing.
Where it began
A lesson from the coal mines
New technology was supposed to make miners more productive. Instead, productivity fell.
During and after the Second World War, British coal mines brought in new machinery and more specialised roles. On paper it should have lifted output. In practice it did the opposite.
Cross-disciplinary research teams went down the pits to find out why. What they found was striking. The new ways of working had broken apart the close-knit, self-organising gangs of miners. The trust, mutual support and shared responsibility that had made the old system work were gone.
From this work came Socio-Technical Systems theory, developed in the 1950s. Its central principle is simple: to get the best out of any system, you have to co-optimise both its technical and social dimensions. Improve one at the expense of the other and the whole system suffers.
Why it matters now
We got it wrong with social media
A powerful new set of technologies was released with no thought for its effect on relationships, or on people’s health and wellbeing. We cannot afford to make the same mistake again.
AI is already reshaping how we learn, work and relate to one another. Bringing it into an organisation is more than a question of technical governance and return on investment. If we want an economy that sustains human flourishing, adopting technology has to include thinking about the human networks it will become part of.
How we work
From first conversation to lasting change
Every engagement is tailored, but most follow the same four steps.
01
Listen
We start by understanding your organisation, your people and what you hope AI can, and shouldn’t, do.
02
Map the system
We map the technical and social system together: roles, relationships, workflows, risks and opportunities.
03
Co-design
We work with your people to design policies, practices and adoption plans that improve both sides at once.
04
Embed & evaluate
We support delivery, gather evidence on what is working, and adjust, so the change lasts.
Let’s talk about what AI means for your people.
Whether you need a keynote that reframes the conversation, a workshop for your leadership team, or a partner for the long haul, we’d love to hear from you.