Abstract
Road inspectors have, for a number of years, utilized a mobile system, which attaches a geographical position to the information they report into the organization’s databases. In this sense, they can be seen as advanced users of information technology to support collaborative road use. The inspection is done to identify defects in the road infrastructure, primarily those that could obstruct the drivers’ free passage, and then to remove them. It is a collaborative activity drawing on the skills of the inspectors to make interpretations of road side objects. However, collaboration and sharing of information is hampered by the relatively isolate d position of the road inspectors in their vehicles. Firstly, their ability to collaborate is reduced by the distance to other colleagues. Secondly, they are restricted by the mobile work situation, as they are almost constantly on the move. In this situation, infrastructure maintenance could be supported by improvements of their mobile applications, both in terms of interfaces which allow handling as they are driving and better communication support. It would provide the organization with new forms of collaboration, as well as increase the abilities to localize objects.
Co-authored with Mattias Esbjörnsson
VINNOVA The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, Stockholm, Sweden
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Notes
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Co-authored with Mattias Esbjörnsson VINNOVA The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, Stockholm, Sweden
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There are three different local offices, each having one or two road inspectors and a supporting staff of 10–20 persons, with several occupational groups represented. Five different inspectors, belonging to the three different local offices, have been studied during a period of 10 working days. We observed their work while sitting in the cabs of the trucks. We followed them out of the vehicle when tasks were performed outside, and also during three morning-meetings at the office. We took extensive field notes, which were transcribed immediately after returning from the inspection tours. The transcriptions were analyzed, and a set of themes was identified. A few themes and a representative sequence are presented in this chapter.
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Juhlin, O. (2010). Driving and Articulating the Road Context with the PlaceMemo Application. In: Social Media on the Road. Computer Supported Cooperative Work, vol 50. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-332-9_6
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