Design of Mobile Services Supporting Knowledge Processes on Building Sites

Mobile work in an exposed physical working environment, e.g. the building industry, challenges the design and use of mobile services. So far, little or no use of mobile services on the building sites exists. This research presents mobile services that were developed and used in order to support knowledge processes in the building industry. The building workers used the mobile services to capture and report experiences and knowledge using pictures, audio records and textual information. It also presents experiences from using the mobile services as a part of a mobile knowledge management. The workers experienced that the mobile services could improve paper-driven knowledge processes on sites. Also, by using the mobile services the building workers contributed to improve the quality of work for the whole enterprise. This research also reveals unforeseen new use patterns that did not come in conflict with the existing knowledge processes.