Rethinking formalization processes in computerized systems: analyzing the co-evolution between software and organizational practices

Abstract

Computerized systems are being increasingly used with the purpose of improving the treatment and integration of the medical area, computerizing work processes in the health sector. It is therefore necessary to obtain a broad comprehension of social and technical imbrications implied in the development and use of these systems, and to go beyond simplistic assumptions that benefits obtained with computerization result solely from the technology employed. To provide effective instruments for the achievement of this understanding, this work comments on theories and practices related to the concept of formalization in the context of development of computerized systems, examining their prerequisites and summarizing them in a reference chart called formalization axis. Supported by recent works carried out in the area of Science and Technology, a perspective starts to emerge on formalization processes as the association of different elements in social and technical networks, which then create a co-evolution between software and organizational practices.