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kokey a day ago

I love it, I have been meaning to put together a similar simulation to demonstrate the effects of interruptions and context switches on developers.

Something like the following:

- a game or puzzle which requires working memory, like matching pairs or some puzzles that need a lot of working memory and/or flipping between screens

- this gets interrupted by fullscreen interruptions of someone's face, and text asking questions, or announcing something, and you have to pick an answer or a reaction (multiple choice)

- it could start with questions like 'hi, are you busy?' or 'can I ask you a question?'

- answers which tries to end the conversation quickly could lead to even more demanding reactions or questions

- interruptions stating there is an emergency can lead to a lot of questions and answers which then leads you to discover than it is in fact not an emergency

- once one of these engagements finish you can return to the game and try to complete it

- you'll get multiple interruptions like this

- other interruptions can also flash up, like a notification that a meeting is due in x minutes

- it could then have a short simulated meeting, perhaps just a line by line scroll of dialogue between others, where you need to say nothing

- however, at some point someone will ask you directly about one of the items discussed, and you will be given a set of fairly ambiguous multiple choice answers which you will have to try out until you get to the 'correct' one

- at the end of the meeting you return to the working memory task/game

- this gets interrupted by someone then asking you about the action points in the meeting

- return to the game

- get notifications about the end of your work day coming up

- more interruptions, etc.

roeles 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

In agile circles I have seen this exercise:

Have two people sit next to each other, each with a blank piece of paper and a pen.

Have them both simultaneously write down the numbers from 1 to 1: one time in decimal, one time in roman numbers and one time as letters of the alphabet (a=1, b=2...)

One person goes about it system by system (first decimal, then Roman... ). The other goes about it number by number (1,I,A,2,II,B...)

Time them both and compare their times.

joshcsimmons a day ago | parent | prev [-]

I will share the source code in a few days once it's cleaner. It'd be relatively easy to fork it and plug a new story into the code :)

beacon294 a day ago | parent [-]

Would love an adhd one.

FuckButtons a day ago | parent [-]

I’m sure someone will build one, one of these days, when they get around to it...