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The social organisation of communication in the home of the twenty-first century: an analysis of the future of paper-mail and implications for the design of electronic alternatives

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Abstract

This paper reports ongoing investigations into the use and role of paper-mail communications in domestic environments. It utilises ethnographically informed data to analyse how paper-mail supports various social roles within the home, particularly a division of labour whereby women tend to be largely responsible for what may be called "managing the home". Implications for the future of paper-mail are considered, as well as suggestions made about how email tools may be designed to reflect the patterns of social organisation within the home.

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Harper, R., Evergeti, V., Hamill, L. et al. The social organisation of communication in the home of the twenty-first century: an analysis of the future of paper-mail and implications for the design of electronic alternatives. Cogn Tech Work 5, 15–22 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-002-0112-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-002-0112-9

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