This review has examined research on handheld computing from a design science perspective. The review was underpinned by the assumption that handheld computing has specific features compared to stationary computing that ought to be managed in order to harness the possibilities of handheld computing. The purpose of this study was to identify areas of investigation in handheld computing from a design-orientated perspective. Publications were analysed by four dimensions: handheld computing, design oriented approach, accentuated factors of handheld computing and organisational settings -- whether or not the users were a member of the mobile workforce. The findings revealed that research on handheld computing is unevenly distributed and that research on the mobile workforce is under-represented. A reflection made is that more research on factors such as field use conditions, support issues, supporting technologies and time critical is needed in order to harness the possibilities of handheld computing.