Effects of Information Widgets on Time Perception during Mentally Demanding Tasks

This article examined how different time and task management information widgets affect time perception across modalities. In mentally demanding office environments, effective countdown representations are crucial for enhancing temporal awareness and productivity. We developed TickSens, a set of information widgets with different modalities, and conducted a within-subjects experiment with 30 participants to evaluate the five types of time perception modes: visual, auditory, haptic, as well as the blank and the timer modes. Our assessment focused on the technology acceptance, cognitive performance and emotional responses. Results indicated that compared to the blank and the timer modes, the use of modalities significantly improved the cognitive performance and positive emotional responses, and was better received by participants. The visual mode had the best task performance, while the auditory feedback was effective in boosting focus and the haptic mode significantly enhances user acceptance. The study revealed varied user preferences that enlightened the integration of these widgets into office.