Evolving Intention in Digital Activities and Its Relationship to Productivity and Immersion

User intention plays a key role in digital activity, but it is less studied than other aspects of technology use such as productivity. We report on a mixed-methods study with university students in two countries (United States and South Korea) in which two distinct forms of intention emerged: the degree of (1) "starting intention" involved in beginning an activity, and the subsequent (2) "continuing intention" to continue the activity. Predictably, an activity's continuing intention often matches its starting intention, and in work activities, higher overall intention correlates with productivity. However, unexpected findings also surfaced: for example, intention's relationship with productivity varies by activity type; breaks started with low intention can be immersive; and work activities started with low intention are sometimes considered productive. These and other findings add to our understanding of digital productivity and recreation, and suggest new designs for technologies to support digital well-being.