Every professional role involves different kinds of work. Pigment identifies five distinct work types that make up the activities in any job.
Most roles involve a mix of all five, in different proportions.
Product Manager:
- 30% Integrative
- 25% Influential
- 20% Operational
- 15% Creative
- 10% Analytical
Program Manager:
- 40% Integrative
- 25% Influential
- 20% Operational
- 10% Creative
- 5% Analytical
Understanding these types helps clarify what kind of work a role primarily requires and how that aligns with your natural strengths.
Table of contents
Analytical
Analytical work involves studying information to find patterns and answers. People doing analytical work turn complex data into clear insights that others can understand and act on.
This type of work requires examining details carefully, identifying what's significant, and drawing conclusions based on evidence. It often involves breaking down complex problems into smaller components, testing hypotheses, and building logical arguments supported by data.
What Analytical work looks like day-to-day:
- Examining weekly user reports to identify which products perform best and why customers choose them
- Building financial models to forecast revenue or evaluate investment decisions
- Conducting market research to understand customer needs and competitive positioning
- Debugging technical problems by systematically isolating variables
- Reviewing performance metrics to identify what's working and what needs adjustment
- Evaluating vendor proposals based on defined criteria
- Analyzing survey results to extract meaningful patterns
- Auditing processes to identify inefficiencies or risks
Characteristics of Analytical work:
Analytical work typically requires extended focus and uninterrupted time. It involves working with data, documents, or systems rather than constant interaction with people. The output is usually a recommendation, finding, or decision supported by evidence.
This work rewards patience and thoroughness. Rushing through analysis often leads to missed insights or flawed conclusions. People who excel at Analytical work tend to be comfortable with ambiguity in the early stages, trusting that clarity will emerge through systematic examination.
Key strengths associated with Analytical work:
- Abstract Reasoning — The ability to work with concepts, models, and frameworks that represent real-world phenomena
- Logical Analysis — Breaking down arguments and situations into their component parts to evaluate validity
- Depth Creation — Going beyond surface-level understanding to develop comprehensive knowledge of a subject
- Specialization — Building deep expertise in a particular domain or methodology
Roles that typically involve significant Analytical work:
Data Analyst, Financial Analyst, Research Scientist, Business Intelligence Analyst, Actuary, Economist, Quality Assurance Engineer, Auditor, Market Researcher, Policy Analyst
Creative
Creative work involves bringing ideas to life through design and original expression. People doing creative work focus on making things that are engaging, novel, or visually compelling.
This type of work requires generating new concepts, experimenting with different approaches, and producing original output. It often involves translating abstract ideas into tangible forms whether visual, written, or experiential.
What Creative work looks like day-to-day:
- Creating compelling media campaigns that tell a brand's story through words and visuals
- Designing user interfaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing
- Writing original content articles, scripts, copy that captures attention and communicates effectively
- Developing concepts for new products or features
- Producing videos, podcasts, or other multimedia content
- Crafting presentations that convey ideas in memorable ways
- Brainstorming solutions to problems that don't have obvious answers Prototyping new ideas to test whether they resonate
Characteristics of Creative work:
Creative work often involves periods of exploration followed by periods of refinement. The early stages may feel unstructured gathering inspiration, trying different directions, generating many options. Later stages involve editing, polishing, and making choices about what to keep and what to discard.
This work requires tolerance for uncertainty. The "right" answer isn't always clear from the start, and creative professionals often need to trust the process even when the outcome is undefined. Feedback and iteration are essential creative work rarely emerges fully formed.
Key strengths associated with Creative work:
- Creation — The ability to produce original work that didn't exist before
- Aestheticism — Sensitivity to visual, auditory, or experiential qualities that make something compelling
- Self-Ideation — Generating ideas independently without needing external prompts or templates
- Innovation — Finding new approaches to problems or new applications for existing concepts
- Language — Using words effectively to communicate, persuade, or evoke emotion
Roles that typically involve significant Creative work:
Graphic Designer, UX Designer, Copywriter, Content Creator, Art Director, Product Designer, Brand Strategist, Video Producer, Creative Director, Architect
Integrative
Integrative work involves combining different parts, people, and ideas into complete solutions. People doing integrative work connect elements that might otherwise remain separate, creating coherence across complexity.
This type of work requires seeing relationships between disparate pieces, understanding how different functions or perspectives fit together, and orchestrating multiple moving parts toward a unified outcome.
What Integrative work looks like day-to-day:
- Bringing together marketing, sales, and product teams to launch new features that customers actually want
- Synthesizing feedback from multiple stakeholders into a coherent set of requirements
- Designing systems or processes that connect different departments or functions
- Facilitating strategic planning sessions that incorporate diverse viewpoints Managing programs that span multiple projects, teams, or timelines
- Translating between technical and non-technical audiences
- Building frameworks that help organizations make sense of complex situations
- Coordinating cross-functional initiatives where no single team owns the outcome
Characteristics of Integrative work:
Integrative work requires comfort with complexity and ambiguity. The people doing this work often serve as bridges between teams, between disciplines, between strategy and execution. They need to understand enough about multiple domains to see how they connect, even if they're not deep experts in any single one.
This work is often invisible when done well. A smoothly coordinated launch or a well-facilitated planning process doesn't call attention to itself. The integrator's contribution is the coherence of the whole, which can be harder to measure than individual outputs.
Key strengths associated with Integrative work:
- Integration — The ability to combine different elements into a unified whole
- Synthesis — Drawing together information from multiple sources to create new understanding
- Coordination — Aligning people, resources, and timelines toward shared objectives
- Process Architecture — Designing workflows and systems that enable effective collaboration
- Polymathic Thinking — Drawing on knowledge from multiple fields or disciplines
Roles that typically involve significant Integrative work:
Program Manager, Product Manager, Management Consultant, Systems Architect, Chief of Staff, Operations Manager, Strategy Director, Solutions Architect, Business Analyst, Project Manager
Influential
Influential work involves building relationships and persuading others through clear communication. People doing influential work move others toward decisions, actions, or changes in perspective.
This type of work requires understanding what motivates people, crafting messages that resonate, and building trust over time. It often involves presenting ideas, negotiating outcomes, and maintaining relationships that enable future collaboration.
What Influential work looks like day-to-day:
- Developing sales presentations that show how products solve customer problems and drive business value
- Presenting recommendations to leadership and securing buy-in for initiatives
- Negotiating contracts, partnerships, or agreements
- Leading team meetings and facilitating productive discussions
- Writing persuasive proposals that win business or funding
- Managing client relationships and ensuring satisfaction
- Coaching or mentoring others to develop their capabilities
- Building networks and alliances that advance organizational goals
Characteristics of Influential work:
Influential work is inherently relational. Success depends not just on the quality of ideas but on how those ideas are communicated and received. This requires reading audiences, adapting messages, and building credibility over time.
This work often involves persistence. Changing minds or securing commitments rarely happens in a single conversation. Influential professionals build relationships gradually, follow up consistently, and look for opportunities to demonstrate value before asking for anything in return.
Key strengths associated with Influential work:
- Language — Using words effectively to communicate, persuade, or inspire
- Emotional Understanding — Recognizing and responding to what others are feeling
- Energy Creation — Generating enthusiasm and momentum in conversations and teams
- Collective Energy — Mobilizing groups toward shared goals
- Confidence — Projecting assurance that builds trust and credibility
Roles that typically involve significant Influential work:
Sales Representative, Account Executive, Business Development Manager, Public Relations Specialist, Fundraiser, Recruiter, Executive, Consultant, Trainer, Politician
Operational
Operational work involves making reliable systems and processes that deliver consistent results. People doing operational work ensure things run smoothly, efficiently, and predictably.
This type of work requires attention to detail, follow-through on commitments, and the discipline to maintain standards over time. It often involves documenting procedures, monitoring performance, and catching problems before they escalate.
What Operational work looks like day-to-day:
- Creating clear processes and guides that help support teams resolve customer issues consistently and quickly
- Managing project timelines, budgets, and resource allocation
- Documenting procedures so that work can be repeated reliably
- Overseeing quality control and ensuring standards are met
- Handling logistics, scheduling, inventory, coordination of physical resources
- Maintaining databases, records, or systems that others depend on Monitoring dashboards and responding to issues as they arise
- Ensuring compliance with regulations, policies, or contractual requirements
Characteristics of Operational work:
Operational work is often behind the scenes. When it's done well, things simply work deadlines are met, systems stay running, and problems are caught early. When it's neglected, the consequences become visible quickly: missed commitments, quality issues, and frustrated stakeholders.
This work rewards consistency and reliability. The person doing operational work may not be generating new ideas or persuading stakeholders, but they're ensuring that the organization can deliver on its promises. This requires discipline, attention to detail, and the patience to maintain systems over time.
Key strengths associated with Operational work:
- Structure Creation — Building frameworks, processes, and systems that bring order
- Completion — Following through on tasks and commitments to the finish line
- Vigilance — Monitoring for problems and catching issues before they escalate
- Detail Orientation — Noticing and managing the small things that others might overlook
- Time Management — Organizing work effectively to meet deadlines and priorities.
Roles that typically involve significant Operational work:
Operations Manager, Project Coordinator, Executive Assistant, Supply Chain Manager, Database Administrator, Compliance Officer, Quality Assurance Specialist, Event Coordinator, Office Manager, Production Manager
How Work Types Combine in Roles
No role is purely one type. Understanding the mix helps clarify what a role actually involves beyond the job title.
A Product Manager might spend their time across Analytical (reviewing usage data and market research), Influential (presenting roadmaps and securing stakeholder alignment), Integrative (coordinating engineering, design, and marketing), and some Creative (conceptualizing new features) and Operational (managing timelines and documentation) work.
A Marketing Manager might be primarily Creative (developing campaigns and content) and Influential (building brand awareness and persuading customers), with Analytical work (measuring campaign performance) and Integrative work (coordinating across agencies, sales, and product teams).
A Software Engineer might be mostly Analytical (debugging, architecting solutions) and Operational (writing reliable code, maintaining systems), with some Creative work (designing elegant solutions) and Integrative work (coordinating with other engineers or teams).
A Management Consultant might blend Analytical (conducting research and building recommendations), Influential (presenting to clients and selling engagements), and Integrative (synthesizing across workstreams and stakeholders).
Your Pigment assessment shows your natural strengths across all five work types, indicating which kinds of work align with how you're wired.
