Simply put, I find most work tasks laborious and many others are the same. Currently, up to 20% of the population chronically procrastinates (Steel, 2007). Moreover, it is much worse in academia, where up to 95% of university students procrastinate (Steel, 2007), of which 75% of university students actively acknowledge their procrastination (Steel, 2007). With over 95% of procrastinators wanting to reduce their (self-perceived) bad habits (Steel, 2007), it may be worth exploring some solutions. I want a way to make understanding and completing tasks more engaging and, hopefully, fun.
I would like to propose an HCI-focussed project to research, design, implement, and evaluate a mobile application for iOS to support procrastinators to complete tasks and build better habits. The proposed mobile application should include features to prioritise tasks by importance and combat common behaviours contributing to procrastination. For example, the proposed mobile application could implement methods to decompose large problems into smaller tasks simply (Van Eerde, 2015) and reward systems after task completion for encouragement (Diefenbach and Müssig, 2019).
My (very rough) approach to development (which I am more than happy to change) will use an agile lifecycle, starting with interviews and questionnaires to empathise with people who have and/or do procrastinate(d). This will be followed by designs in Figma and documentation in Google Docs. Next, I will implement the frontend in Flutter or React Native and the backend in ExpressJS or Flask, deployed to Firebase or OpenShift. Finally, I will use an SUS study to evaluate usability. The final mobile application is unlikely to be available publicly on the app store as it can simply be tested on iPhones with XCode. I am also considering an alternative approach with a web application instead, not a mobile application, for simpler cross-platform compatibility and deployment.
One possible way the proposed mobile application could be designed is with a path (similar to the level selector in Mario Bros Wii, except each level is a different sub-task to complete), mapping the user's tasks today. Haptic, audio, and visual cues could be triggered when a task is completed. Then, a point system or leaderboard could be updated for users to compare their progress to their friends' and themselves earlier (like Duolingo).
Please get in touch at harmanl1@cardiff.ac.uk - thanks!
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Reference List:
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Diefenbach, S., and Müssig, A., 2019. Counterproductive effects of gamification: An analysis on the example of the gamified task manager Habitica. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 127, 190-210. ISSN 1071-5819. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2018.09.004 available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1071581918305135 [accessed on: 15 November 2023].
Li, K. C., Cheng, S. Y., and Wang, C. W., 2018. Can a Game-based Productivity Tool Improve Procrastination? Advances in Management & Applied Economics, 8(6), 55-65. ISSN: 1792-7544 (print version), 1792-7552 (online). Scienpress Ltd. Available at: https://www.scienpress.com/Upload/AMAE/Vol%208_6_3.pdf [accessed on: 15 November 2023].
Steel, P., 2007. The Nature of Procrastination: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65-94. Available at: https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2006-23058-004.pdf?auth_token=592b1e9c7c1988b2b6fcba6341d2d251337f9d34 [accessed on: 15 November 2023].
Van Eerde, W., 2015. Time management and procrastination. In M. D. Mumford, & M. Frese (Eds.), The psychology of planning in organizations: research and applications (pp. 312-333). (Series in organization and management). Routledge. Available at: https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/2479879/177644_TM_and_procrastination_Van_Eerde_15.pdf#:~:text=Studies%20on%20time%20management%20show,strength%3B%20and%20using%20social%20support [accessed on: 15 November 2023].