Designing, Implementing and Evaluating a Physical Object to Communicate Digital Work Progress

Due to the increasing complexity of digital workplaces, workers often face interruptions, mental overload, and a lack of work-life balance, resulting in reduced psychological well-being. While studies have shown that workers perceive lower productivity with the advancement of digitalization, employers have not reported any reductions in productivity. To bridge this gap, we will develop a physical system to help digital workers better perceive their productivity. The system aims to motivate users to be more productive by utilizing persuasive technologies and visualizing work progress. Environmental design techniques were employed to integrate the system into the workplace seamlessly. Using a web-based to-do list app we measure work progress based on user-set goals. The haptic prototype consists of an e-ink display embedded in a 3D print resembling a notebook. As work progresses, more parts of an image are gradually revealed on display, providing minimalist feedback and motivating users to achieve their goals. This approach enhances productivity, perception of productivity, and psychological well-being, offering optimal product integration into modern work contexts.

You will:

• Conduct interviews or focus groups
• Implement a prototype
• Evaluate the design artifacts

You need:

• Prior experience in interface / interaction / UX / etc. design processes
• Experience conducting interviews & user studies is an asset
• Experience creating design artifacts using prototyping tools
• Strong communication skills in english