01
Work
The changing work a person needs to execute.
The work-centred approach
Better decisions
begin with
the work.
Understand what someone needs to accomplish, how the work is executed and what evidence can show whether a change helped.
A connected model of professional context
Work
Tasks, objectives and constraintsContext
Capability, objectives, constraints and evidenceIntelligence
Interpret work, change and next needsDecision
Bounded choices with human oversightNew work
Evidence from use updates the contextResearch asks what additional context contributes, where it fails and when it is worth using.
A useful model begins
with a real question.
Consider a procurement team comparing supplier quotations. What matters is not simply the tool, but the entire decision.
Work in context / Supplier quotation reviewILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
Follow the work
Understand what arrived.
Three supplier quotations describe the same request in different ways. Begin by preserving the original terms and the context.
| Work object | Context | Next requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Quotation A | Scope listed | Review terms |
| Quotation B | Delivery omitted | Clarify |
| Quotation C | Different units | Normalize |
The work starts with the actual task and its constraints.
An illustrative procurement workflow from the company book. Follow the steps to explore how context, human review and evidence connect.
The operating loopEach execution can inform
Each execution can inform
the next decision.
The current public company book describes the connection as work, context, intelligence, decision and new work. This is a system proposition being developed and tested; implementation and demonstrated outcomes are distinct stages.
Four tests for useful representationMore context must
More context must
produce a better answer.
We combine work analysis, qualitative enquiry, quantitative methods, technical evaluation and field research according to the question.
Test 01
Validity
Does the model capture the relevant work, including its context and exceptions?
Test 02
Reproducibility
Can the process produce sufficiently consistent results when repeated?
Test 03
Portability
What remains useful when the person, organisation or setting changes?
Test 04
Decision utility
Does the model improve a judgement compared with a simpler alternative?
Responsibility is part of the methodPeople retain agency.
People retain agency.
Evidence earns confidence.
Human judgement
Consequential recommendations need understanding, choice and a route to challenge.
Inspectable evidence
Claims need a clear basis, honest uncertainty and freedom to report inconvenient findings.
Accountable progress
Benefits and burdens belong in the evaluation, alongside the decisions made in response.
A world of better
