Postcards From Work: Exploring Archetypes of Human Work Through Micro-Narratives

Understanding the complexities and nuances of human work is critical if we are to improve how work really works. In healthcare, as clinicians and other healthcare professionals navigate their roles, they encounter a diverse array of situations that create goal conflicts, dilemmas and other challenges. One way to explore these is via micro-narratives. These are short stories based on personal observations and experiences.

One method to capture these is via simple written postcards. Postcards from Work (Healthcare Edition) delves into these experiences. A sample of the cards is shown below:

What are ‘Postcards from Work’?

The Postcards from Work are a tool for reflection and discussion about work. They include unique micro-narratives from clinicians and other healthcare professionals, including nurses, anaesthetists, surgeons, intensivists, radiologists, general practitioners, radiographers, and pharmacists, making them rooted in the reality of healthcare settings.

At the core of the micro-narratives are four distinct varieties of human work: work-as-imagined, work-as-prescribed, work-as-disclosed, and work-as-done. Each of these varieties represents a different kind of ‘work’.

1. Work-as-Imagined is, at a basic level, the work that we imagine takes place. Often, the term is used to describe imagination of the work that others do (now or in the past or future). It may also, however, refer to the work that we imagine that we do (or did, or will do). (More here.)
2. Work-as-Prescribed is the formalisation, specification and design of work. It is the work that people ‘should do’, especially according to policies, procedures, rules, and so on. (More here.)
3. Work-as-Disclosed is the work that people say that they (or others) do or did, either in formal accounts or informal  accounts (written, verbal, inputted, etc). (More here.)
4. Work-as-Done is actual activity, in the head and in the world. It is characterised by patterns of activity to achieve a particular purpose in a particular context.

Various archetypes, patterns, or forms emerge when considering the interactions and overlaps between the four varieties of human work. These archetypes of human work have been developed collaboratively with healthcare staff and are drawn directly from their real-life experiences, making them relatable and applicable to healthcare professionals. The seven archetypes that will be outlined are:

1. The Messy Reality – work-as-done but not as-prescribed and usually not as-imagined (may or may not be as-disclosed).
2. Congruence – work-as-done and as-prescribed and usually as-imagined (and often as-disclosed).
3. Taboo – work-as-done but not as-disclosed, nor usually as-prescribed, nor usually as-imagined.
4. Ignorance and Fantasy – work-as-imagined, often as-prescribed but not as-done (may or may not be as-disclosed).
5. Projection – work-as-imagined, often as-prescribed and perhaps as-disclosed. May or may not be as-done.
6. P.R. and Subterfuge – work-as-disclosed and often as-described but not as-done. May or may not be as-imagined by the discloser.
7. Defunct – work-as-prescribed but not as-done. May or may not be as-imagined or as-disclosed.

The Postcards from Work micro-narratives provide insights into these archetypes.

Exploring Archetypes and Patterns

The Postcards from Work serve as objects for self-reflection and group discussions among healthcare professionals. By asking thought-provoking questions, healthcare professionals and others who influence or are affected by their work can explore the complexities of each micro-narrative and archetype, encouraging deeper exploration of different perspectives. Some of the questions that can guide these discussions include:

1. How do you feel about this narrative
2. What do you think about it?
3. Have you experienced or observed something similar?
4. What do you imagine you might you do in this situation?
5. What factors might contribute to the situation?
6. Why might it make sense for people think or do this?
7. How could the situation be improved?
8. What might be different actors’ perspectives on the situation (e.g., patients, family, clinicians, media, legal, management)?
9. Who might benefit from understanding the situation?
10. Can you think of other examples for this archetype?

Download and Print the Cards

The postcards are a free product under a Creative Commons licence. Double-sided and single-sided versions are available. The difference is largely cosmetic. You are able to write on the back of the micro-narrative postcards on both versions, but the double sided version may be used in workshops to ‘address’ the card to specific parties for discussion. The cards may be downloaded and used as image (png) or document (pdf) files, and may be printed on many standard printers or via a printshop.

Double-sided version

Recommended settings:

• A6 (105 x 148.5 mm or 4.1 x 5.8 inches)
• 250-300 gsm paper
• 69 sheets, double-sided

Download:

• Standard pdf: Double-sided, without print marks (online viewing) https://bit.ly/3OsNlVR
• Print pdf: Double-sided, without print marks (standard printers) https://bit.ly/43HvIWK
• Print pdf: Double-sided, with print marks (for print shop) https://bit.ly/43KKr37
• Double-sided individual images (png) https://bit.ly/3KbNbQ4

Single-sided version

Recommended settings:

• A6 (105 x 148.5 mm or 4.1 x 5.8 inches)
• 250-300 gsm paper
• 83 sheets, single-sided

Download:

• Standard pdf: Single-sided, without print marks (online viewing) https://bit.ly/3KghEwj
• Print pdf: Single-sided, without print marks (standard printers) https://bit.ly/3OsMQet
• Print pdf: Single-sided, with print marks (for print shop) https://bit.ly/44MpyWz
• Single-sided individual images (png) https://bit.ly/43JP11J

Credits

“Postcards from Work” by Steven Shorrock is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

You are free to:

• Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format