Smart working o working smart?

We contrast the notion of “smart working” – that is a form of organization oriented towards granting the worker more freedom in choosing time and space for performing tasks – with that of “working smart”, aimed at fostering an attitude of learning. We compare these two constructs in the context of a case-study analyzing the clinical activities aimed at supporting pregnant, Type-I diabetic women by means of the introduction of Advanced Information Technologies and a new approach exploiting those technologies. We find that techniques coherent with the “smart working” approach end up lengthening and intensifying the work of medical personnel. By contrast, practices aligned with the “working smart” concept improve the personnel’s perception of quality of, and control over, their own work.