Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
At the level of physical fit, building codes and standards should be expanded to cover
also the needs generated from the new working modes i.e. mobile work. The layouts of
different premises should be clear and also instruct occasional visitors to quickly settle
for working. The physical places should guide your route to virtual reality. Because the
virtual reality is its own world with its voices and vistas, the disturbances caused by
physical reality should be diminished, also when you are working in the places not
primarily designed for work, i.e. trains, cafeterias, hotel rooms. This is a truly and
demanding challenge for construction planning. The demands of performing mobile
work should be taken into account also when designing furniture for premises not
primarily aimed at working.
At the level of functional fit, the access creates the threshold of work. Entering virtual
work places i.e. the virtual reality of work is a question of existing and well functioning
infrastructure. Moreover, questions concerning the easiness of connecting signals as
well as of finding help and support in using information technology are essential. The
transfer to virtual work places via well functioning infrastructures and applications
must be attained regardless of the time and physical place. The operational
environment of mobile employee should be portable as well as easy perceivable. (cf.
Hyrkkänen et al, 2007.)
Enhancing the fit at the psychosocial level, the mixture of physical and virtual worlds
and simultaneous existence in both should be more effectively understood and
supported. Particular and a lot of learning demanding challenge lies in controlling the
simultaneous co- and telepresence, simultaneous use of many virtual communication
and collaboration channels as well as simultaneous use of work and leisure related
virtual channels. Although one of the major goals driving the development of virtual
reality has been in providing a space for people to interact without the constraints of the
physical world the fact seems to be that we can not totally rid ourselves form being
physical as well (c.f. Fox et al, 2009). On that account, we have to learn to behave and
work also in the interspace i.e. controlling simultaneous existence and belonging in the
mixture of physical and virtual worlds. The integrated design, which seamlessly
combines the physical and virtual places, needs to be developed further as well.
6. References
Axtell, C.; Hislop, D. & Whittaker, S. (2008). Mobile technologies on mobile spaces. Findings
from the context of train travel.
International Journal of Human-Computer Studies
No.66, pp. 902-915
Boeher, K.; Vertesi, J.; Sengers, P. & Dourish, P. (2007). “How HCI Interprets the Probes”,
paper published proceeding
SIGCHI
2007, April 28th - May 3rd, San Jose,
California, ACM Press, New York, pp. 1077-1086
Breure, A. & van Meel, J. 2003. Airport offices: Facilitating nomadic worker. Facilities Vol.21
No.7/8, pp. 175-179
Brown, B. & O`Hara, K. (2003). Place as a practical concern of mobile workers. Environment
and Planning No.35, pp. 1565-1587
Dainoff, M.; Mark,L.; Ye, L. & Petrovic, M. (2007). Forget about Aesthetics in Chair design:
Ergonomics Should Provide the Basis for Comfort. In Dainoff, M.J. (ed.)
Ergonomics
