The material presented in this paper is focused on the characteristics of open computational systems and, in particular, the issue of coordinating behavior in such systems, i.e. systemic coordination. Firstly, we introduce a conceptual framework for characterizing systemic coordination at different levels abstraction. Secondly, challenges and opportunities of this framework is outlined as a matter of exploiting a Service-oriented layered architecture for communicating entities (Solace) in combination with a particular coordination model (TuCSoN).

In the context of systems engineering, we consider Solace and TuCSoN to be examples of the basic tools required for support of systemic coordination, i.e., the continuous process of construction and observation of open computational systems and their evolving interaction space. Finally, we outline the impact of these tools on empirical aspects of systemic coordination.