Dynamic Work Design Patterns

Dynamic Work Design Patterns

Part of

Content

Tags

worksystems-design

dwd

Key Info

Dynamic Work Design Patterns provide strategies for organizations to effectively switch between efficient and flexible work approaches based on current needs.

Workflow

Meta

meta:description

Organizations face two types of work: routine, which needs efficiency, and ambiguous, which needs flexibility. The solution is to switch between both as needed.

Every organization makes two fundamental discoveries:

First: There is work that is well-defined and routine. It needs specialization, focus, efficiency.

Second: There is work that is ambiguous and uncertain. It needs collaboration, creativity, flexibility.

The Problem: Organizations think they must choose. Either efficient OR flexible.

The Solution: Switch quickly between both, depending on what's needed right now.

These 6 patterns show how that works – and what happens when it goes wrong.

Essentials

Gallery view

Studio Mode is an organizational state for ambiguous, uncertain work that emphasizes synchronous communication, intensive collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Factory Mode optimizes well-defined, routine work through specialization and standardized processes for maximum efficiency while allowing for adaptability to creative tasks when necessary.

Fast Oscillation

Fast Oscillation is a Dynamic Work Design pattern that enables organizations to quickly switch between Factory Mode for efficiency and Studio Mode for collaboration to solve problems effectively.

Ineffective Iterations

Ineffective Iterations occur when ambiguous work is organized serially through asynchronous communication, leading to slow feedback loops, and can be resolved by shifting to direct collaboration in Studio Mode.

Wasted Attention

Wasted Attention is an anti-pattern caused by excessive collaboration and meetings that hinders productivity in well-defined work, necessitating a shift back to efficient Factory Mode.

Axis of Frustration

The Axis of Frustration describes the destructive cycle organizations fall into when they fail to switch intelligently between Factory Mode and Studio Mode, leading to ineffective iteration and wasted attention.

More about this

Dynamic Work Design was developed by Nelson P. Repenning and Donald C. Kieffer at MIT Sloan. Start with the foundational article "A New Approach to Designing Work" (2018) and watch "Unlock Your Organization's Full Potential with Dynamic Work Design" by Don Kieffer to see practical applications.

Made with Bullet