Abstract
This note presents a set of theoretical reflections intended to deepen and extend the conceptual foundations of third-order practice as introduced in the companion paper Third-Order Practice and the Governance of Communicative Forms (TOP).
It clarifies the notion of order and ordering in socio-technical systems, distinguishing it from sequential or developmental interpretations, and introduces the concept of semiotic registers as a framework for analysing communication, meaning, and value in complex human settings.
Building on these foundations, the note develops models of nested awareness, conversational structures, and architectural discourse, and explores their implications for the design and governance of socio-technical infrastructures, particularly in relation to the Trustworthy Governable Platform (TGP).
The text is exploratory and intended to stimulate discussion and further development within the community.
Positioning within the OISI 2026 programme
This text is a companion theoretical note to the paper Third-Order Practice and the Governance of Communicative Forms (TOP). While that paper develops the concept of third-order practice in relation to communicative governance and architecture, the present note explores its deeper philosophical and semiotic underpinnings. It is intended as a discussion document for the OISI community.
Recommended Citation
Martin, Mike, "preprint OISI26 t-16 TGP4 companion notes - Third-Order Practice Revisited: Orders, Registers, and the Conversational Foundations of Socio-Technical Systems - a companion theoretical note to the paper TGP4" (2026). OISI Workshop 2026. 24.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/oisiworkshop2026/24