Cultivating Interaction Ubiquity at Work

There is limited debate on what “ubiquity” in ubiquitous computing implies, in particular in regard to technological affordances connecting people. The aim of this article is to explore the question: What is the role of technologically embedded assumptions in the cultivation of interaction ubiquity at work? Distinguishing between the embedded support for managing ongoing interaction relationships—as opposed to a series of interaction encounters—and the support for prioritizing interactions—as opposed to priorities per se—yields four analytical categories of affordances: connectors, filters, mediators, and coordinators. These four categories are illustrated through four case studies of mobile working. The author argues that successful cultivation of interaction ubiquity at work relies critically on a portfolio approach wherein the technology is seen as playing a more active role in the management of interaction beyond the simple standardized technical connection.