TOP > Publications > Evolutional Social System Design ‒ Realizing Sustainable Society by Collaboration between Natural Sciences and Social Sciences ‒/CRDS-FY2019-SP-01
Jul. /2019
(Strategic Proposals)
Evolutional Social System Design ‒ Realizing Sustainable Society by Collaboration between Natural Sciences and Social Sciences ‒/CRDS-FY2019-SP-01
Executive Summary

In this proposal, we propose a framework to design, build and continuously evolve social systems while considering legal and ethical issues, and we also propose research and development to establish the framework. It is a design framework for evolutional social system consisting of a spiral process of measuring and analyzing current society, clarifying requirements, designing and constructing a new social system, providing it to the society, then observing the new society again. We listed four research and development issues. Adding that we listed the importance of a "coordinator" who carries out demonstration experiments to solve social issues.

  • i) R & D issues on measurement: "Interpretation and cataloging of social system data for integrated utilization"

    This is a technology to interpret and catalog data from the society collected by IoT devices or smartphones. In addition, it is necessary to develop a platform for data collection and to have a technology and a legal system for smooth distribution and use of data.

  • ii) R & D issues related to analysis: "Requirement definition considering restrictions on social norms and laws, economics, and technologies"

    This is a technology to summarize the strategy as a requirement definition to be achieved under social norms and laws as well as economic or technical constraints. We can consider a strategy to fill the gap between the present society which is understood by interpreting the collected data and the society we want to be. It is necessary to cooperate with the natural science, the humanities, and the social science because summarizing the requirement definition requires a wide range of constraints and conditions related to society.

  • iii) R & D issues related to design and construction: "Design and construction of social systems by integration of humanities and social sciences and information sciences"

    This is a technology to realize a more optimal social system by simulating the society based on the requirements definition. In order to design and construct social systems, we need a simulator and a social model that have enough precision for design. The theory of human behavior in society or community, the relationship between humans and the theory of social systems are necessary for the construction of models. But the theories acquired by the current social sciences may not have sufficient accuracy. By utilizing big data and evolving theories of social science, we can expect to build a model of society with the precision necessary for social system design. In addition, it will be possible to improve the accuracy of simulation by not only sophistication of the model but also data assimilation using collected data and machine learning like deep learning algorithm.

  • iv) R & D issues related to provision to society: "Operation management that enables real-time data collection and regulatory compliance confirmation"

    The operation of social systems needs to be done under laws and regulations. By confirming in real time that the social system complies with laws and regulations, the social system can be used with confidence. This is a technology that checks automatically and in real time using real-time data generated by the use of social systems and machine-readable rules. There is a need to develop technologies that allow machines to handle laws and regulations written in natural language, as well as technology that makes automatic judgments.

  • v) "Coordinator" in implementing a demonstration experiment

    In order to operate social systems in society, demonstration experiments are indispensable. The demonstration experiment requires a person/organization called a "coordinator" who can communicate with the citizens by conducting appropriate team building based on each industry-academia-government request. They also have general knowledge of industry, academia and government.

From the perspective of policy promotion, it is desirable to establish a coordinator organization and promote projects to design concrete social systems such as transportation systems or medical systems, and to confirm the effectiveness of this framework. At the same time, it is also hoped to deepen individual research subjects such as "Interpretation and cataloging of social system data", "Requirement definition for designing a target social system", "Design and construction of social systems by integration of humanities and social sciences and information sciences" and "Operation management that enables real-time collection and regulatory compliance confirmation". Since demonstration experiments require the participation of citizens, national and local governments, academia such as universities, and industry, we are going to promote policy proposals to various ministries, recommendations to industry, and academic activities. It is preferable to promote and develop a new legal system, horizontal development in the country, and export of social systems corresponding to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN Summit.

ICT technologies such as computers, the Internet, smartphones, and the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial intelligence (AI) are widespread in today's society as technologies to realize social systems. The "Society 5.0", incorporated in the 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan, is trying to solve problems according to the social situation by realizing a society in which everyone can live a comfortable and energetic quality of life by achieving both economic growth and social problems resolution. It is hoped that the latest information technology such as IoT and AI will be used there. However, the use of ICT technology makes social systems more complex while making them more convenient. A framework is required to properly design a complex social system. In addition, as the social system is operated, it is necessary to evolve the social system in response to changes in society, because new issues that cannot be addressed in existing social systems arise due to changes in user behavior. By advancing research and development in line with this frameworks, it is expected that it will be possible to realize and evolve social systems. We can use them with peace of mind because we understand the expectations of society on an evidence-based manner and we quantitatively verify the effects. It is important that Japan, an advanced country with social issues, be the first in the world to promote social system design based on this framework.

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