Ahmetoglu, Yoana; Iskandar, Akeisha; Taoh, Shermin; Ying, Andy; Brumby, Duncan; Cox, Anna; (2025) "I Work Much Better by Doing Less": How Task Duration Feedback Affects Optimistic Planning Bias in Academic Work. In: CHIWORK ’25: Proceedings of the 4th Annual Symposium on Human- Computer Interaction for Work (CHIWORK ’25). Association for Computing Machinery (ACM): Amsterdam, Netherlands. (In press).

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Abstract

Task planning—deciding which tasks to complete and when—often suffers from optimistic bias, resulting in underestimated task durations, missed deadlines, and stress. Field interventions to address this bias remain limited. This paper presents two mixed-methods field studies investigating the impact of task duration feedback on reducing optimistic bias in academic work planning. The first study, a two-week trial (N = 10) using a to-do list app, revealed low engagement with feedback due to burdensome time tracking. The second study, a four-week trial (N = 30) with a simpler manual time-tracking approach, reduced perceived optimistic bias and procrastination and improved self-efficacy but did not improve the objective optimistic bias. Participants’ definitions of realism extended beyond estimation accuracy, including intentions and task type, with accuracy prioritized only in specific contexts, where they had more control over the outcomes. These insights provide actionable guidance for designing planning tools prioritizing estimation accuracy that resonate with user needs and contexts.

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