Two sides of the same coin: Software developers' perceptions of task switching and task interruption

Abad, ZSH; Noaeen, M; Zowghi, D; Far, BH; Barker, K

Two sides of the same coin: Software developers' perceptions of task switching and task interruption

Abad, ZSH Noaeen, M Zowghi, D

Far, BH Barker, K

Permalink

Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 2018, Part F137700
Issue Date:: 2018-06-28

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Accepted ManuscriptAdobe PDF (4.67 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Abad, ZSH	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Noaeen, M	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Zowghi, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6051-0155	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Far, BH	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Barker, K	en_US
dc.date.issued	2018-06-28	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 2018, Part F137700	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	9781450364034	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/132915
dc.description.abstract	EASE'18, June 28-29, 2018, Christchurch, New Zealand © 2018 Association for Computing Machinery. In the constantly evolving world of software development, switching back and forth between tasks has become the norm. While task switching often allows developers to perform tasks effectively and may increase creativity via the flexible pathway, there are also consequences to frequent task-switching. For high-momentum tasks like software development, "flow", the highly productive state of concentration, is paramount. Each switch distracts the developers' flow, requiring them to switch mental state and an additional immersion period to get back into the flow. However, the wasted time due to time fragmentation caused by task switching is largely invisible and unnoticed by developers and managers. We conducted a survey with 141 software developers to investigate their perceptions of differences between task switching and task interruption and to explore whether they perceive task switchings as disruptive as interruptions. We found that practitioners perceive considerable similarities between the disruptiveness of task switching (either planned or unplanned) and random interruptions. The high level of cognitive cost and low performance are the main consequences of task switching articulated by our respondents. Our findings broaden the understanding of flow change among software practitioners in terms of the characteristics and categories of disruptive switches as well as the consequences of interruptions caused by daily meetings.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	ACM International Conference Proceeding Series	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1145/3210459.3214170	en_US
dc.title	Two sides of the same coin: Software developers' perceptions of task switching and task interruption	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.citation.volume	Part F137700	en_US
utslib.for	0803 Computer Software	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/Graduate Research School
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - HCTD - Human Centred Technology Design
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - STEM Education Futures
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	Part F137700	en_US

Abstract:

EASE'18, June 28-29, 2018, Christchurch, New Zealand © 2018 Association for Computing Machinery. In the constantly evolving world of software development, switching back and forth between tasks has become the norm. While task switching often allows developers to perform tasks effectively and may increase creativity via the flexible pathway, there are also consequences to frequent task-switching. For high-momentum tasks like software development, "flow", the highly productive state of concentration, is paramount. Each switch distracts the developers' flow, requiring them to switch mental state and an additional immersion period to get back into the flow. However, the wasted time due to time fragmentation caused by task switching is largely invisible and unnoticed by developers and managers. We conducted a survey with 141 software developers to investigate their perceptions of differences between task switching and task interruption and to explore whether they perceive task switchings as disruptive as interruptions. We found that practitioners perceive considerable similarities between the disruptiveness of task switching (either planned or unplanned) and random interruptions. The high level of cognitive cost and low performance are the main consequences of task switching articulated by our respondents. Our findings broaden the understanding of flow change among software practitioners in terms of the characteristics and categories of disruptive switches as well as the consequences of interruptions caused by daily meetings.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/132915