In the knowledge sector…decisions about organizing and executing work are largely left up to individuals to figure out on their own. Companies might standardize the software that their employees use, but systems for assigning, managing, organizing, collaborating on, and ultimately executing tasks are typically left up to each individual.

Cal Newport. Slow Productivity.

Knowledge workers tend not to have systems of work. Even institutional processes are often only ever implicit, with the result that when someone leaves, others on the team have to rebuild processes from scratch.