Effects of mobile computing enabled laboratory information system on perceived performance of geotechnical field workers

Abstract

Increasing demand of earthworks like reservoirs, tunnels and both offshore and onshore structures has forced geotechnical laboratories to increase their productivity and performance at organizational as well as individual level. In this modern era of digitization and mobility, mobile computing technologies (MCT) have grown to a juncture where these can facilitate in revamping organizational mobile work processes. Though geotechnical work involves substantial amount of mobile work processes like sample collection from the field, execution of in-situ tests and exchange of information for real time mobile tasks, but the potential of mobile computing technologies has not been effectively exploited predominantly due to lack of availability of customized integrated mobile information system. To fill this gap, this study investigated the requirements of tasks and respective functionalities provided by MCT. Based primarily on the theory of task-technology fit (TTF), a perceived performance conceptual model was developed. This model was aimed at finding the effect of mobile computing on performance of field workers through first establishing a fit between geotechnical tasks and MCT. To statistically test and validate this conceptual model, quantitative research methodology was adopted by employing survey questionnaire as a research instrument for data collection and using Partial Least Squares Structured Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for analysis of data. Based on analysis of results, all identified mobile work support functions were found useful for interdependent and time critical tasks while mobile data processing feature was only found effective for location sensitive tasks. Secondly, it was also empirically supported that once fit between task requirements and technology features is found effective; it creates substantial influence on the perceived performance of geotechnical mobile workers.