How can we create an environment that uses human-centered systems or "soft technology"? In the past, humans have learned to accept machine-centered systems, in which technology takes precedence over people. To create a human-centered system, we need to take back the control, on our own terms. This will allow humans and machines to work together. To create this system, we need to focus on creating technology that conforms to the user's needs.

Humans with a machine centered view have created technology that uses logic to define a task or operation. It is incapable of self direction, learning and flexibility. When this technology fails, humans pick up the pieces and perform. Humans take into account the content and context of a problem. We can communicate in short, simplified sentences and dialogue to share personal knowledge or experiences. In contrast, logic-based technology needs clear and unambiguous content to operate.

We can develop technology that places humans in control. To do this, we must start with the needs of humans and create human-centered systems that help us make intelligent decisions. For example, a telephone is a machine-centered system. We can modify a telephone to be a human-centered system by the creation of voice messaging and voice mail. This gives us the power to answer our phones or let them ring into voice mail. This brings both systems, human-centered and machine-centered, closer in conforming to society's needs.