Socio-Technical systems embody values which can be located in the system's components and throughout the system as a whole.

(a) These values may be vulnerable, under attack, or at risk. For example, the way a company stores employee data makes make it vulnerable to unauthorized access. This would endanger the value of privacy.

(b) These values may come into conflict with one another so that resolving these conflicts may require adjusting the entire system.

(c) The system and its components may change in such a way as to produce significant risks or harms.