article

Computer Support for Social Awareness in Flexible Work

Authors:

Susanne Bødker,

Ellen ChristiansenAuthors Info & Claims

Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Volume 15, Issue 1

Pages 1 - 28

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10606-005-9011-y

Published: 01 February 2006 Publication History

Abstract

How do we conceptualize social awareness, and what support is needed to develop and maintain social awareness in flexible work settings? The paper begins by arguing the relevance of designing for social awareness in flexible work. It points out how social awareness is suspended in the field of tension that exists between the ephemerality and continuity of social encounters, exploring ways to construct identity through relationships by means of social encounters --- notably those that are accidental and unforced. We probe into this issue through design research: In particular, we present three exploratory prototyping processes in an open office setting (examining the concepts of a shared calendar, personal panels, and ambient awareness cues). Field studies, conducted in parallel, have contributed to a conceptual deconstruction of CSCW concepts, resulting in a focus on cues to relatedness, to belonging, and to care. Analyzing these three prototypes in their microcosmic usage setting results in specific recommendations for the three types of applications with respect to social awareness. The experiences indicate that the metaphors a `shared mirror' and `breadcrumbs' are promising foundations on which to base further design. We present these analyses and suggest that the metaphors work because of their ability to map experiences from the physical space into conceptual experiences. We conclude that social awareness in flexible work must be constructed indirectly, presenting itself as an option, rather than as a consequence of being able to overhear and oversee.

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Cited By

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Galanxhi HNah F(2021)Addressing the “Unseens”: Digital Wellbeing in the Remote WorkplaceHCI in Business, Government and Organizations10.1007/978-3-030-77750-0_22(347-364)Online publication date: 24-Jul-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/978-3-030-77750-0_22
Epp FHirskyj-Douglas IKaryda MMcGookin DLucero A(2020)Collocated Sharing of Presentations of Self in Public SettingsProceedings of the 19th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia10.1145/3428361.3428380(191-200)Online publication date: 22-Nov-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3428361.3428380
Johri ATeo H(2018)Achieving Equilibrium through CoworkingProceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Open Collaboration10.1145/3233391.3233531(1-11)Online publication date: 22-Aug-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3233391.3233531
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Index Terms

Computer Support for Social Awareness in Flexible Work
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Collaborative and social computing
    1. Collaborative and social computing theory, concepts and paradigms
      1. Computer supported cooperative work
2. Social and professional topics
  1. Computing / technology policy
  2. Professional topics
    1. Computing and business
      1. Computer supported cooperative work

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Reviews

Reviewer: John W. Fendrich

Assuming that the new flexible working conditions may cause social structures of work inherited from the industrial-work organization to vanish, this paper works on answering the question of how we conceptualize social awareness and what support is needed to build and maintain social awareness. In particular, what designs of computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) effectively support three author-postulated qualities of social awareness among workers in the changing and future workplace__?__ The paper reports on a research process using an open office setting as a microcosm at the Center for New Ways of Working at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. Three prototype experimental designs are examined: shared calendar, personal panels, and ambient awareness cues. Each prototype design is implemented and scrutinized to assess its potential to carry out and support the postulated qualities of relatedness, belonging, and care. The development and critical discussion of these experiments revolves around the questions of how people create a sense of presence of (and for) others when they are in and out of the office, how they communicate about their movement and plans, and how they keep in touch when they are in and out of the office and when they are working from home. Other discussions consider how people take possession of a space (construct a home) when they work in varying locations, personalize their space, and leave themselves contextual reminders; how locations relate to whether information is public, private, or held in common; and how persistence of social encounters develops. Now, real-world reports are needed.

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cover image Computer Supported Cooperative Work

Computer Supported Cooperative Work Volume 15, Issue 1

February 2006

90 pages

ISSN:0925-9724

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Kluwer Academic Publishers

United States

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Published: 01 February 2006

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Galanxhi HNah F(2021)Addressing the “Unseens”: Digital Wellbeing in the Remote WorkplaceHCI in Business, Government and Organizations10.1007/978-3-030-77750-0_22(347-364)Online publication date: 24-Jul-2021
Epp FHirskyj-Douglas IKaryda MMcGookin DLucero A(2020)Collocated Sharing of Presentations of Self in Public SettingsProceedings of the 19th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia10.1145/3428361.3428380(191-200)Online publication date: 22-Nov-2020
Johri ATeo H(2018)Achieving Equilibrium through CoworkingProceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Open Collaboration10.1145/3233391.3233531(1-11)Online publication date: 22-Aug-2018
Muñoz-Alcántara JKreymer RFunk MMarkopoulos PPietriga ELuyten K(2018)AliceProceedings of the ACM SIGCHI Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems10.1145/3220134.3220143(1-6)Online publication date: 19-Jun-2018
Jensen MThiel SHoggan EBØdker S(2018)Physical Versus Digital Sticky Notes in Collaborative IdeationComputer Supported Cooperative Work10.1007/s10606-018-9325-127:3-6(609-645)Online publication date: 1-Dec-2018
Lopez GGuerrero LLee CPoltrock SBarkhuus LBorges MKellogg W(2017)Awareness Supporting Technologies used in Collaborative SystemsProceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing10.1145/2998181.2998281(808-820)Online publication date: 25-Feb-2017
Lee CPoltrock SBarkhuus LBorges MKellogg W(2017)Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social ComputingundefinedOnline publication date: 25-Feb-2017
BØdker S(2016)Rethinking technology on the boundaries of life and workPersonal and Ubiquitous Computing10.1007/s00779-016-0933-920:4(533-544)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2016
Bødker SZander PAvram GDe Cindio FPipek V(2015)Participation in design between public sector and local communitiesProceedings of the 7th International Conference on Communities and Technologies10.1145/2768545.2768546(49-58)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2015
Vyas DDix AVeer G(2015)Reflections and EncountersComputer Supported Cooperative Work10.1007/s10606-015-9225-624:4(277-317)Online publication date: 1-Aug-2015
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Recommendations

Social awareness: the power of digital elements in collaborative environment

Designing for privacy and self-presentation in social awareness

Social Awareness for Global Software Teams

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