Architecture Is Not Enough: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Real Work. Why systems that look good on paper struggle in practice — and what we can learn from everyday work (ENG)

Many systems are well-architected on paper—structured, scalable, and aligned with best practices. Yet, when they meet everyday work, something happens. Workarounds emerge, informal practices take shape, and the system is adapted in ways that were never intended

This talk explores the gap between design and real work from a socio-technical perspective. Drawing on research and empirical examples from digitalisation in organizational practice, it highlights how systems, people, and organizational contexts interact in ways that challenge assumptions made during design.

Rather than offering prescriptive guidelines, the talk invites reflection on what everyday work can teach us about architecture. What becomes visible when we shift focus from systems as designed to systems as used? And how can these insights help us better understand what it means to build systems that actually work in practice?