Toward quantitative modeling of user performance in multitasking environments

Abstract

Multitasking performance requires the ability to perform multiple tasks in the same time period by switching between individual tasks. To quantify the performance, a quantitative model for user performance in a multitasking environment was proposed in this study. This model was based on Shannon’s information theory and quantified the information produced from each subtask in the multitasking environment. The Multi-Attribute Task Battery-II (MATB-II) was employed as a platform of multitasking. There were two phases of the experiment and ten participants completed the experiment. Results showed an overall improvement in user performance after reassigned task weights according to the proposed approach. Findings also indicated there was an effect of task difficulty on multitasking performance. The proposed model provided an approach to estimate and improve user performance in a multitasking environment.