In 1791, Prony embarked on the task of producing logarithmic and trigonometric tables for the French Cadastre (geographic survey).

"[4]: 36 The first level consisted of five or six high-ranking mathematicians with sophisticated analytical skills, including Adrien-Marie Legendre and Lazare Carnot.

[4] The planners combined analytical and computational skills, with this group calculating the pivotal values using the formulas provided and the sets of starting differences.

In addition, this group did not operate under a factory-like model, instead opting to work from home, sending their results and receiving their new tasks from the planners in a non-centralized manner.

Thus, for accurate mapping of the French territory and its subdivisions all the way down to the lowest levels of property ownership, Prony needed to complete the trigonometric tables.

In particular, these tables, which were designed for the decimal division of circles and time, turned out to be obsolete after the French had changed their measurement system.

The talented mathematicians and other intellectuals who produced creative and abstract ideas were regarded separately from those who were able to perform tedious and repetitive computations.

[3]: 186  This project was able to unite people from many different walks of life as well as mathematical abilities (in the traditional sense) and hence changed the meaning of calculation from intelligence into unskilled labor.

[3]: 190 Prony was able to have artisans (workers who excelled in mechanical arts that require intelligence) work along with mathematicians to perform the calculations.

Prony saw this entire system as a collection of human computers working together as a whole - a machine governed by hierarchical principles of the division of labor.

[3]: 195, 6 Charles Babbage, credited with inventing the first mechanical computer, was inspired by Prony's take on Smith's division of labor.

[11] Prony was employed by Napoleon to superintend the engineering operations for protecting the province of Ferrara against the inundations of the Po and for draining and improving the Pontine Marshes.