Design is creation with intent. Work design is intentionally shaping work. There is no universally best work design – only design that is contextually coherent. Context is important. Good work design not only fits in context but also creates a new context. This session will explore coherent work design beyond the trap of ‘common sense’ work design. Central to the session are the “Work Design Lenses” and “Power Levers” to make sense and intervene.

Participants will be engaged through Okaloa’s dojo tool that allows them to position their own work within work design triads and sliders. These activities help surface the often-hidden assumptions behind current work design and open up conversations about alternative ways of designing work. Real-world examples—drawn from working with large enterprises—highlight the risks of late integration, siloed responsibilities, and resistance rooted, not in people, but in complex network of practices and dependencies.