[Paper Review] An Exploratory Study of Mobile Computing Use by Knowledge Workers

Paul Prekop|ArXiv.org|Dec 9, 2003

Personal Information Management and User Behavior4 references3 citations

TL;DR

This exploratory study investigates mobile computing use among 10 senior knowledge workers using Compaq iPAQ PDAs over 20 weeks. It finds that calendar/diary and contact management were the most consistently useful applications, with peak usage in early weeks, while note-taking and email use remained low due to interface limitations, highlighting the importance of innate mobile utility and low cognitive load in successful mobile applications.

ABSTRACT

This paper describes some preliminary results from a 20-week study on the use of Compaq iPAQ Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) by 10 senior developers, analysts, technical managers, and senior organisational managers. The goal of the study was to identify what applications were used, how and where they were used, the problems and issues that arose, and how use of the iPAQs changed over the study period. The paper highlights some interesting uses of the iPAQs, and identifies some of the characteristics of successful mobile applications.

Motivation & Objective

• To understand how senior knowledge workers use mobile PDAs in real-world settings.
• To identify which applications are most useful and under what conditions.
• To examine the evolution of device usage, customization, and user adaptation over time.
• To uncover usability challenges and design principles for effective mobile applications.

Proposed method

• A 20-week longitudinal study with 10 senior IT-literate knowledge workers using Compaq iPAQ PDAs.
• Participants received no training and used only default software, with access to system administrators.
• Data collected via five trend surveys and semi-structured interviews at mid-point and end-point.
• Surveys measured frequency of use, application types, usage contexts, and device customization.
• Interviews provided qualitative insights into user experiences, perceived utility, and adaptation processes.
• Data analysis focused on usage patterns, application utility, and user-reported challenges.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How do knowledge workers use mobile PDAs in their daily work across different contexts?
• RQ2 Which applications are most frequently and effectively used, and why?
• RQ3 How does user behavior and device utilization change over time during a mobile computing trial?
• RQ4 What usability challenges do users encounter, particularly with input methods and information access?
• RQ5 What characteristics define a successful mobile application in a professional knowledge work setting?

Key findings

• Device usage peaked during the first 7–10 weeks of the study, with a sharp decline in subsequent weeks, indicating a rapid adaptation and evaluation phase.
• Calendar/diary use was the most sustained application, with a mean usage of 29.6% at week 7 and 22% at week 19, showing long-term utility.
• Note-taking in meetings dropped from 26.5% usage at week 7 to just 2% by week 19, primarily due to the high cognitive load of handwriting on the PDA.
• Contact information management was perceived as highly valuable and difficult to mobilize via other means, with 16–17.5% usage throughout the study.
• The iPAQ was frequently used as an 'information carryall' for storing and accessing documents like agendas and e-mails, though this use was infrequent and context-dependent.
• Opportunistic use of the device required minimal setup and low cognitive demand, and applications that failed to meet this criterion were quickly abandoned.