For four decades, I’ve witnessed how technology transforms knowledge work from the inside, not as a theorist or consultant, but as someone implementing change on the front lines. When I built one of Holland’s first government digital projects in 1987, years before most people had heard of the internet, I saw firsthand how digital tools would reshape professional identities.

The supposed technology revolution knowledge work has experienced over three decades has largely been a myth. Tools have changed dramatically, but our understanding of how value is created and professional roles are defined has remained rooted in industrial-era thinking.

I’ve spent my career challenging this disconnect, from transforming how executive assistants work by creating DeskDemon (which became the market leader in its field), to establishing content design principles for GOV.UK, to reimagining service delivery for Police.uk. What connects these seemingly different roles is my focus on how people actually create value in organisations, rather than how they’re supposed to create value according to conventional job descriptions.

The four seismic shifts I’ve identified cut across all knowledge professions. They reveal fundamental changes happening beneath the surface of routine technological upgrades and corporate restructures. Understanding these shifts helps you navigate workplace evolution not just by adapting to change, but by positioning yourself at its forefront.