Designing a Tangible Device for Re-Framing Unproductivity

Abstract

We report on the design of a tangible device for encouraging the acceptance of unproductive time. We first conducted interviews for a better understanding of the subjective experience of productivity. We found that while the idea of being productive can evoke positive feelings of satisfaction, dealing with unproductive time can be a struggle, negatively affecting people's moods and self-esteem. These findings guided the design and implementation of RU, a tangible device for reflecting on self-care time. Our prototype offers a physical representation of the mainstream productivity mindset and plays with the idea of connecting and charging energy to encourage the user to experience the time considered unproductive as self-care. In a second study, participants used the device for 5 days and our results suggest that the device motivates reflection on activities beyond work and increases awareness of the importance of taking time for self-care.

Understanding and Measuring Perceived Productivity

“…In a 2019 GoodFirms survey of 496 mobile app users, productivity apps ranked highest in terms of usage, with 97% of respondents reporting regular use (GoodFirms, 2019). Productivity tracking tools (e.g., RescueTime, MeTime, Focus, TimeAware), tend to measure productivity using simple time-use metrics, categorizing time as either productive or unproductive based on user's data as they perform activities (Kim et al, 2019;Sirera & Velloso, 2021;White, Liang, & Clarke, 2019).…”