The complexity of both technical and technological systems has remarkably increased over the last few years. Often, the participating agents and components are distributed all over the world. In this globalized process, no centralized instance is able to oversee or control the resulting networks. Therefore, modern systems are more and more transformed into a cooperative community of autonomously handling agents.

In order to understand such complex systems, it is necessary to analyze and understand

• how cooperation and work division may evolve without centralized control
• which contents and technical parameters may influence the decision making,
• how multiple parameters and variables can be taken into account,
• and how such systems and the day-to-day work with them can influence users and their social interactions.

Authors of corresponding, innovative and unpublished papers are asked to submit their contributions to our session. Since the underlying problem of distributed decision-making is touched by many different research areas, interdisciplinary works from areas like urban traffic control, smart grids and of course also computer and communication networks are especially welcomed to our meetings.

Chairs

• Herwig Unger