Unpacking Task Management Tools, Values, and Worker Dynamics

As the complexity of daily tasks grows, knowledge workers experience challenges in managing tasks and risk skipping over some. Fortunately, various task management tools have become available, ranging from traditional tools, such as sticky notes, to complex project management software. In this exploratory study, we aim to understand the landscape of task management tools that knowledge workers use and identify the value they seek from such tools. In addition, we investigate how such value relates to workers' personality traits and job characteristics. For this purpose, we conducted a series of formative studies and an online survey (N = 248) to evaluate the perceived importance of various attributes of task-management tools, followed by an exploratory factor analysis to identify the latent structure within that. This process revealed six underlying dimensions for task management tools: communicability, structure, portability, adaptability, physicality, and visualizability. Applying regression analysis, we found connections between latent dimensions and both personality traits and job characteristics. Our findings inform the design of future task management tools with guidance on choosing features and functionality that will meet the needs of their target populations.