Of course, the specification of the conditions and actions that make up proceduralized knowledge may be quite complex. In fact, much of the tacit knowledge that we have observed seems to take the form of complex, multicondition rules (production systems) for how to pursue particular goals in particular situations. In other words, tacit knowledge is more than a set of abstract procedural rules. It is context-specific knowledge about what to do in a given situation or class of situations. For example, knowledge about confronting one's superior might be represented in a form with a compound condition:

IF <you are in a public forum>

AND

IF <the boss says something or does something that you perceive is wrong or inappropriate>

AND

IF <the boss does not ask for questions or comments>

THEN <speak directly to the point of contention and do not make evaluative statements about your boss, staff or your peer's character or motives>

BECAUSE <this saves the boss from embarassment and preserves your relationship with him.>

3.2.3 Tacit knowledge is practically useful

The third characteristic feature of tacit knowledge is its instrumental value in attaining people's personal goals. The more highly valued the goal is, and the more directly the knowledge supports the attainment of the goal, the more useful is the knowledge. For example, knowing that seeking input from subordinates makes them feel valued is practically useful for those supervisors who want their subordinates to feel valued, but not practically useful for supervisors who do not value this goal.

We do not believe that practically useful knowledge must be acquired in any particular context or forum. Useful knowledge is, of course, acquired in classrooms, from experience on the job, through mentoring relationships, and through self-study. We distinguish practically useful knowledge not from formally acquired knowledge but, rather, from knowledge (however acquired) that is not relevant to the practical goals that an individual values.

3.2.4 Tacit knowledge involves coherent relations among its features

The three features of tacit knowledge, acquisition on one's own, procedural structure, and practical value, are related to one another in a non-arbitrary way. That is, we can explain why these features go together in the specification of a meaningful natural concept of tacit knowledge.

First, there is a natural correpondence between the features of procedural structure and practical value. Procedural knowledge tend to be practically useful—it contains within it the specification of how it is to be used. Declarative knowledge, in contrast, is not specific with respect to use and, as a consequence, may remain inert or unused. Therefore, procedural knowledge is more likely to be relevant in the pursuit of personally-valued goals.