The good, the bad, and the ugly: digital tools in evolving academic knowledge work

Knowledge workers (KWs) perform non-routine, cognitive, and creative work and enjoy substantial flexibility in managing their activities, making their productivity and work practices an enduring topic of interest. We contribute to this ongoing discussion by presenting the results of an interview study with 20 academic knowledge workers (AKWs). We explore in particular how AKWs' work routines have changed after all Covid-19 restrictions were lifted and investigate AKWs attitudes and expectations towards digital tools that support productivity and well-being. Through thematic analysis of the interview data, we identify six themes that provide a multifaceted account of AKWs' current work experiences, needs, and concerns. We discuss how our findings align with or challenge prior literature and highlight the positive (‘Good’), negative (‘Bad’), and risky (‘Ugly’) aspects of digital tool use for academic work. Finally, we outline design implications for digital tools that support both self-management and interpersonal coordination of AKWs.