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This paper argues that uncertainty is a general feature of projects, occurring in technological, organizational, and social contexts. In situations of uncertainty, rational plan-oriented action is only practicable and successful to a limited degree. Based upon empirical research of project work, forms of experience-based action to deal with uncertainty will be presented. This kind of work action has only marginally been investigated by scientific research and has been widely disregarded in practice. This is essentially due to the fact that plan-oriented rational action is a deeply rooted guiding principle for professional work and management in Western cultures and societies. For this reason, this paper first outlines from a sociological perspective that dealing with uncertainty in projects has to be seen in a comprehensive societal context. Thus, a new way to deal with uncertainty requires fundamental re-orientations concerning the understanding and investigation of work and organization. Empirical findings in this field are presented and discussed, and the concept of a dual uncertainty in project work is exposed.

Over the last years we have witnessed the growing gap between more and more sophisticated production technologies and the new trend towards “anthropocentric production systems” (Rosenbrock, 1989). The following article fits into the discussion between these two orientations: on the one hand artificial intelligence and therefore automation (Bainbridge, 1987), and on the other hand human-centered technology. This human-centered technology (Brodner and Karwowski, 1992) applies new methods. One domain of its application is the CNC technology with which this article deals.

When customers are involved, work processes are highly unpredictable and indeterminate. Customers and clients have their own interests and needs, act independently, and are not directly incorporated within the organization of service delivery. As revealed by empirical studies of ordi- nary work practices, indeterminate situations arise even within highly standardized forms of service interaction with customers and clients. Call center interactions provide a good example, and even these services require that employees be able to resolve unforeseen and indeterminate situations using se If-directed, situational action (cf. Holtgrewe, 2001; Kleemann and Matuschek, 2003).

KES-MI stands for “artistic, experience-based, playful – management of the informal for promoting innovative work”. The KES-MI project investigated methods that allow for uncertainties and indefiniteness of innovations when managing innovations and using them strategically as potential for promoting the innovation capacity of companies. Not only theoretical and empirical research should be performed in this respect, but suitable models for management of innovations should be developed and tested in practice.

The discussion concerning how to create and promote innovation has dealt either with personal traits that promote innovation to date, particularly creativity or the organization of innovation processes. However, the fact that innovation is the result of human action and is highly dependant on work within innovation processes is often overlooked in this respect. Innovation work has special characteristics that differ from other work and must be considered when managing innovations. Not only innovation research, but also work research have both hardly considered these special characteristics of innovation work to date. This chapter will present research approaches to innovation work and continue by describing the necessity for artistic, experience-based and playful action in innovation work.

The increasing use of computer-cont rolled automation systems has brought with it a bias towards a purely “scientific” approach to work. This tends to undermine the significance of experiential knowledge and sensory perception when working with highly automated processes. This paper argues for a recognition of the importance of “subjectifying action” in carrying out work practices. Without it, complex technical systems cannot be effectively operated. Moreover, the contradictory demands that arise for workers could have negative consequences in terms of work burdens and health risks.

What skills are required for working with computer-controlled machines in the manufacturing area? Taking the developments in the machine building sector in Germany as an example, it becomes apparent that a human-centred approach (skill-based manufacturing) offers the companies many advantages over Tayloristic forms of work organisation and automation. Closer observations reveal that skills and qualifications based on empirical knowledge and individual capabilities, such as a feeling for machines and materials, continue to play an important part in the work with computer-controlled machines. So far, however, skills of this kind have received neither practical nor systematic consideration and are regarded as tacit skills in most cases. Therefore it is particularly the use of computer technology which is likely — in most cases unintentionally — to restrict and undermine the essential preconditions necessary for the development and application of such skills.