Perceived Complexity in Automation Systems: Sources, Impacts, and Perspectives from Industry

The complexity of automation creates a barrier between humans and machines, hindering the full realization of Industry 5.0’s potential. It is often caused by the intricate integration of modern production environments with digital technologies. Reducing the perceived complexity of automation systems is challenging. There have been several studies providing insights on how complexity in such contexts can be addressed. However, such studies remain rather disparate. Meanwhile, understanding the sources of complexity is becoming increasingly important due to the growing introduction of digital technologies, which add yet another layer of complexity. Indeed, little work has been conducted to bring together the various sources of complexity. In this paper, we identify key sources of complexity in automated systems by synthesizing insights from relevant literature and discussions with industrial partners engaged in addressing these challenges. Our primary contribution is a matrix that maps commonly encountered sources of complexity, their impacts, and their links to existing literature, complemented by perspectives from our industrial partners, gathered through a series of workshops.