Manual Knowledge Work

Work combining manual and knowledge work. Performance of manual work is based on heavy information flows, which require a focus on learning. By integrating the two, while injecting best practice, the learning the practical and theoretical aspects of learning happen faster. There is no substitute for the manual work, however - as that is a validation and reality check of the information work. This does not mean that the manual work is brutal. Best practice, ergonomics, automation, and all other enabling knowledge and technique shifts pure manual work towards knowledge work, as the workers take data, improve, document, and design in the process. And this is clearly not pure knowledge work - as the same person actually does the work to obtain feedback on the human factors, ergonomics, safety, performance, build technique - and other factors that contribute to integrated products. OSE promotes this type of work as something that every able person should pursue. For disabled people - whether by handicap, age, psychology, or other factors - this is even more relevant: one has to develop additional techniques that enable a 'disabled' individual to perform physically. As such, there is no clear distinction between the functional definition of an able or disabled person - everyone is able on some things, and not able on others. This is part of OSE's principle of integration and inclusion.