Mutual orientation to computer screens during consultations in open office spaces

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Computer screens are a central part of open offices where employees have visual access to each other’s screens at the desks. Computer screens are both used for individual work as well as interactional activities where employees gather around a shared computer screen. This paper demonstrates how employees establish and maintain mutual orientation to a computer screen during unplanned consultations in an open office space. The paper is based on approximately 48 hours of video recordings in two Danish organizations and focuses on six phenomena: 1) Moving body from one’s own computer screen to a shared computer screen, 2) moving head in eye level with shared computer screen and colleague, 3) pointing at the computer screen, 4) verbalizing actions on the computer screen, 5) interacting with computer screen through keyboard and mouse 6) using objects with the computer screen. The paper contributes to EMCA workplace studies that similarly have studied computer screens in interactional activities (Heath et al 1993; Hindmarsh & Heath 2000; Salvadori 2016).

• Heath, Christian, Jirotka, Marina, Luff, Paul and Hindmarsh, Jon (1993): Unpacking Collaboration: The Interactional Organization of Trading in a City Dealing Room. Proceedings of the Third European Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work. Milan, Italy

• Hindmarsh, Jon & Heath, Christian (2000): Embodied reference: A study of deixis in workplace interaction. Journal of Pragmatics 32 (12), p. 1855-1878

• Salvadori, Francesca Astrid (2016): Open Office Interaction: Initiating talk a work. Ph.D. dissertation. King’s College London
Original languageDanish
Publication date21 Nov 2018
Publication statusPublished - 21 Nov 2018
EventNordic Interdisciplinary Interaction Discourse - Aarhus Universitet, Aarhus , Denmark
Duration: 21 Nov 201823 Nov 2018
https://conferences.au.dk/nordisco2018/

Conference

ConferenceNordic Interdisciplinary Interaction Discourse
LocationAarhus Universitet
CountryDenmark
CityAarhus
Period21/11/201823/11/2018
Internet address

ID: 303438460