**4. Results**

Virtual devices and applications make it possible to work from almost any physical location. Some of the users started the working day in bed when waking up in the morning, by reading emails with their mobile phones and ended it in the same place before going to sleep. The use of virtual tools was constant: at all times, in all places, in work and in leisure. For instance, both making and answering work related phone calls and emails are done when shifting from one physical location to another in staircases, streets, cars, public transportation vehicles, taxis, airports and airplanes. The virtual tools are also used in the middle of different kind of work and leisure related events and meetings such as in lunch restaurants, cafés and bars, offices, seminar facilities, saunas and at home. As one user (U4) wrote in his diary: "I welcomed seminar guests and at the same time I answered some phone calls".

#### **4.1 Physical comfort and fit in the virtual workplace of a mobile employee**

The themes of discourse about physical comfort included tools and application for the virtual work as well as the places for the work including the theme of ergonomics (fig. 2). The employees used multiple physical places for work during their working days and the amount of different devices and applications that were utilized was numerous and varied from user to user. The most common virtual devices carried with were laptop and mobile phone. Some users also worked with table computers. The most common virtual application was the e-mail. Additionally, users applied a wide range of other applications. Some of them were used via the Internet e.g. Facebook, Skype, Google, blog, virtual newspapers and net banks. Some of them did not demand an internet connection like shared hard disk, virtual calendar and notebook, Microsoft Office programs and work specific applications such as ArchiCAD.

In many cases the virtual tools were utilized concurrently. The users had usually many applications open at the same time and they used them alternately. Some users also applied different devices for fulfilling the same task. As an example, a user (U6) was waiting for his next flight at the airport. The battery of his laptop was running low and he was charging it while waiting for the boarding call. When the call came the battery was 70% recharged. The user decided to answer some of the latest emails with the laptop and older ones with his mobile phone. The concurrent use of different devices requires a large enough flat surfaces to place the devices – this was not fulfilled especially in the means of transport or was hardly fulfilled in bus stations, railway stations or airports. Also the lack or paucity of functional power points or internet plug-ins or wireless webs was considered hampering the work especially during transitions. The inability to use the printers or totally non-working printers was a problem for some of the users.

More precisely, probes are a collection of evocative assignments through which or inspired by which the users actively record requested material (Mattelmäki 2008). The most typical forms of traditional self-documentation are diaries and camera studies. The academic purpose of selfdocumentation is to examine the daily factors of human lives. (Graham et al. 2007; Mattelmäki 2008.) A relevant feature of self-documentation is collecting data from several situations that increase the reliability of the research (DeLongis et al. 1992). Self-documentation also

Virtual devices and applications make it possible to work from almost any physical location. Some of the users started the working day in bed when waking up in the morning, by reading emails with their mobile phones and ended it in the same place before going to sleep. The use of virtual tools was constant: at all times, in all places, in work and in leisure. For instance, both making and answering work related phone calls and emails are done when shifting from one physical location to another in staircases, streets, cars, public transportation vehicles, taxis, airports and airplanes. The virtual tools are also used in the middle of different kind of work and leisure related events and meetings such as in lunch restaurants, cafés and bars, offices, seminar facilities, saunas and at home. As one user (U4) wrote in his diary: "I welcomed

The themes of discourse about physical comfort included tools and application for the virtual work as well as the places for the work including the theme of ergonomics (fig. 2). The employees used multiple physical places for work during their working days and the amount of different devices and applications that were utilized was numerous and varied from user to user. The most common virtual devices carried with were laptop and mobile phone. Some users also worked with table computers. The most common virtual application was the e-mail. Additionally, users applied a wide range of other applications. Some of them were used via the Internet e.g. Facebook, Skype, Google, blog, virtual newspapers and net banks. Some of them did not demand an internet connection like shared hard disk, virtual calendar and notebook, Microsoft Office programs and work specific applications

In many cases the virtual tools were utilized concurrently. The users had usually many applications open at the same time and they used them alternately. Some users also applied different devices for fulfilling the same task. As an example, a user (U6) was waiting for his next flight at the airport. The battery of his laptop was running low and he was charging it while waiting for the boarding call. When the call came the battery was 70% recharged. The user decided to answer some of the latest emails with the laptop and older ones with his mobile phone. The concurrent use of different devices requires a large enough flat surfaces to place the devices – this was not fulfilled especially in the means of transport or was hardly fulfilled in bus stations, railway stations or airports. Also the lack or paucity of functional power points or internet plug-ins or wireless webs was considered hampering the work especially during transitions. The inability to use the printers or totally non-working

minimizes the observers' possible influence on the person observed.

seminar guests and at the same time I answered some phone calls".

**4.1 Physical comfort and fit in the virtual workplace of a mobile employee** 

**4. Results** 

such as ArchiCAD.

printers was a problem for some of the users.

The layouts of the physical workspaces were seen as a challenge in many cases. While on the move it was especially hard to find a place that supports quiet work or confidential discussions. For these reasons, working with certain tasks with virtual applications was considered difficult.

Also the decent ergonomics of the workplaces used was important. Many of the mobile employees mentioned the fatigue of musculoskeletal organs due to bad work postures. Inappropriate furniture and visual difficulties were the main causes for impairing working postures. On the other hand, some virtual tools allow flexible changes not only in the physical work position but also in bodily postures. According to the interview, the mobile phone appeared to be the most flexible virtual tool from this point of view.

Fig. 2. The elements impacting the physical fit or misfit of virtual workplaces
