Work Practices, Nomadicity and the Mediational Role of Technology

1. Advancing the understanding of nomadicity Over the past number of years new forms of work have emerged and developed, particularly in the service and education sector, and, more broadly, with regards to information work. One of the key characteristics of such forms of work, and particularly information work, is the potential (and often the need) for nomadic practices, since workers mainly deal with something that can be represented digitally and taken to or accessed from different locations. In other words, work activities in certain professional contexts can and often must be detached from stable premises, and performed when and where it suits the workers' needs (Davis 2002). In fact, increasing attention is being paid to what is here called modern nomadicity and that involves engaging with work activities across different locations based on the availability of the resources that are necessary for accomplishing them (de Carvalho et al. 2011). Several studies have addressed issues related to nomadic practices and the design of technologies to support those involved with them, addressing a broad range of issues varying according to the particular field of enquiry within which they were conducted. For instance, in Ubiquitous Computing and Business Information Systems, researchers have been addressing the development of mobile and pervasive technologies and technological affordances, which can be translated into specific performances when used in individual and organisational practices In turn, HCI researchers have been concerned with the usability of portable devices and the development of methods for accurately assessing it (Weiss 2002; Coursaris and Kim 2006; Johansson et al. 2006). In CSCW, the focus has been directed towards the use of computing technologies to mediate social and collaborative activities in and across different locations and towards an understanding of how different spaces are inhabited and transformed in places as work gets accomplished, i.e. a concern with issues to do with articulation and mobilisation work as well as with place-making activities (Perry et al. Notwithstanding this body of research on the topic, there is room still for in-depth investigation of nomadic work/life practices. As previously noted, there are several nuances involved in understanding the notion of nomadicity, and the different definitions of nomadicity found in the literature are proof of that. For instance, Su and Mark (2008) define nomadicity as an extreme form of mobile work that encompasses people being constantly on the move, usually travelling long distances, working wherever they happen to …