Visualising the fragmentation of knowledge work

Abstract

Severe task switching is in general understood to create stress for knowledge workers and to undermine overall work efficiency. With this in mind, we have developed a time-tracking app that captures window focus switches. A timeline visualisation inspired by the Windows disk defragmentation programs visualises the knowledge workers' time and makes clear at a single glance the fragmentation of worktime. Such a visualisation makes knowledge workers (painfully) aware of the extent of their worktime fragmentation.