Research Publications and Citations

RUISA A Universal Operational Coherence Framework for Coordinating Complex Sociotechnical Systems

Mouayad Al Mohtar • zenodo.org • 2026

Abstract Complex operational environments—such as healthcare systems, emergency response organizations, and large-scale infrastructure operations—frequently experience performance failures that cannot be attributed solely to deficiencies in expertise or technical capability. Instead, breakdowns often arise from misalignment among key components of coordinated work, including assigned responsibilities, the personnel occupying those roles, the availability and interpretation of relevant information, shared situational awareness, and the timing and coherence of actions taken. When these elements diverge, even highly skilled professionals may produce outcomes that are delayed, duplicative, inefficient, or unsafe, not because of inadequate knowledge but because coordinated performance depends on alignment across interdependent functions. This paper introduces RUISA®, a modest conceptual framework designed to support coherent coordination by organizing operational performance around five foundational elements: Roles, Users, Information, Situation, and Actions. The framework proposes that stability and effectiveness in complex systems emerge not from optimizing any single component in isolation, but from maintaining alignment among these interacting elements over time. RUISA is intentionally technology-agnostic and domain-independent; it does not prescribe specific tools, organizational structures, or workflows. Rather, it offers a structured lens through which existing processes and systems can be examined for coherence and potential sources of misalignment. Although the framework is presented at a conceptual level, a healthcare operations context is used to illustrate practical relevance. Clinical environments provide a particularly demanding setting in which coordination failures can have immediate consequences for safety and efficiency. By demonstrating applicability in such conditions, the paper aims to show that RUISA may also be useful in other highreliability domains characterized by uncertainty, interdependence, and time-sensitive decision making. Keywords: RUISA framework; Operational coordination; Complex sociotechnical systems. Operational readiness; Situational awareness; Decision support; Organizational alignment. Healthcare operations