This paper presents a new approach to the design challenge of using intelligent agents to make work systems smarter. It starts by summarizing the main ideas in a work system perspective that outlines the context. After adding concepts and assumptions concerning intelligent machines, it discusses the smartness of systems or devices in terms of capabilities grouped under the categories of processing information, self-regulation, action in the world, and knowledge acquisition. It presents a spectrum of roles that intelligent agents might perform for a work system. It also presents facets of work (such as making decisions, communicating, and coordinating) to which any of those roles might be applied. It presents an example to illustrate how those ideas might be used and concludes by summarizing its integrated approach to designing intelligent agents to make work systems smarter.