The concepts of work-as-imagined, work-as-prescribed, work-as-done, work-as-disclosed, and work-as-reported have been discussed and developed primarily within the field of human factors and ergonomics. These concepts have been elaborated by various experts, including Steven Shorrock, who has written extensively on the topic and I cannot recommend enough.

• Work-as-Imagined: This concept refers to how people think work should be done or imagine it is done. It is often used by policymakers, regulators, and managers who design work processes without direct involvement in the actual work.
• Work-as-Prescribed: This involves the formalization of work through rules, procedures, and guidelines. It is how work is officially supposed to be done, often documented in organizational standards.
• Work-as-Done: This represents the reality of how work is actually performed in practice, including the adaptations and adjustments made by workers to meet real-world demands.
• Work-as-Disclosed: Also known as work-as-reported or work-as-explained, this is how people describe or report their work, which may differ from both work-as-prescribed and work-as-done due to various factors, including safety and organizational culture[3][4].
• Work-as-Reported: This term is often used interchangeably with work-as-disclosed and refers to the accounts of work provided by workers, which may be influenced by what they believe should be communicated to others.
• Work-as-Measured: The quantifiable aspects of work that are tracked and assessed, often focusing on performance metrics and outcomes

Aspect	Work-as-Done	Work-as-Imagined	Work-as-Instructed	Work-as-Prescribed	Work-as-Reported	Work-as-Measured
Definition	Actual activities performed in the workplace.	How work is thought to be done, based on assumptions and expectation.	Direct instructions given to workers on task performance.	Formalized work according to rules, policies, and procedures.	Description of work as shared verbally or in writing.	Quantitative assessment of work performance.
Purpose	Achieve objectives in real-world conditions, adapting as necessary.	Conceptual understanding and planning of work.	Ensure tasks are performed correctly and efficiently.	Standardize and control work for compliance and safety.	Communicate work processes and outcomes.	Evaluate work efficiency and effectiveness.
Characteristics	Adaptive, context-dependent, often involves improvisation.	Based on assumptions, may not align with reality.	Clear, direct, and often specific to tasks.	Detailed, formal, assumed to be the correct way to work.	May not fully reflect reality, influenced by audience and context.	Objective, based on metrics and data.

Aspect	Work-as-Measured	Work-as-Judged
Definition	Quantification or classification of aspects of work.	Evaluation or assessment of work based on criteria or standards.
Purpose	To assess, understand, and evaluate work performance using metrics and data.	To form opinions or make decisions about work quality or effectiveness.
Characteristics	Objective and subjective measures, often numerical; can lack stability and validity.	Subjective, influenced by personal biases, experiences, and expectations.
Agency	Conducted by supervisors, managers, or specialists in various fields.	Performed by individuals or groups with authority to evaluate work performance.
Granularity	Can range from coarse (e.g., overall productivity) to fine (e.g., specific actions).	Typically broader, considering overall performance rather than specific details.
Influence	Affected by technological, social, and regulatory contexts.	Affected by preconceived notions and potential biases.

Further Reading

• https://humanisticsystems.com/2016/12/05/the-varieties-of-human-work/
• https://safetydifferently.com/the-varieties-of-human-work/
• https://safetysynthesis.com/onewebmedia/Shorrock_Paper.pdf
• https://www.pslhub.org/learn/improving-patient-safety/human-factors-improving-human-performance-in-care-delivery/reflection-on-the-varieties-of-human-work-and-how-they-apply-to-healthcare-r3328/
• https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2019/07/fallacies-of-work-as-imagined.html