I am interested in examining the way users interact with technology and how their performance is affected. For my dissertation, I designed an interface with different types of multitasking scenarios (self-interruptions and external interruptions) in order to examine its effect on performance for over 600 participants.
Since then, I have worked with students to extend this work by answering other research questions on this topic. In one project we examined task switching on smartphones while in another we examined the difference in performance for mobile vs. desktop-based tasks. In my latest project, we are examining whether listening to music while working hurts task performance.
Our multitasking publications can be found here:
- Moise, C. and Adler, R. F. 2019. Facing the Music: Performance Implications of Working with Music in the Background. In Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE 10th Annual Ubiquitous Computing, Electronics & Mobile Communication Conference (UEMCON),New York, NY.
- Rubin, D. and Adler, R. F. 2018. Smart Multitasking with Smartphones. In Proceedings of the 49th Annual Meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute, pp. 1392-1410, Chicago, IL.
- Adepu, S. and Adler, R. F. 2016. A Comparison of Performance and Preference on Mobile Devices vs. Desktop Computers. In Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE 7th Annual Ubiquitous Computing, Electronics & Mobile Communication Conference (UEMCON), pp. 1-7, New York, NY.
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Adler, R. F., Adepu, S., Bestha, A. and Gutstein, Y. 2015. Remind Me: Minimizing Negative Effects of Multitasking, In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics, Las Vegas, NV.
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Adler, R. F., Rubin, D., Mohammad, A. R., Irfan, A. Senadeera, H., Nguyen, T. 2015. That's Easy! The Effects of Objective and Subjective Task Difficulty when Multitasking, Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics, Las Vegas, NV.
- Adler, R. F. and Benbunan-Fich, R. 2015. The Effects of Task Difficulty and Multitasking on Performance, Interacting With Computers, 27(4), 430-439.
- Adler, R. F. and Benbunan-Fich, R. 2013. Self-Interruptions in Discretionary Multitasking, Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1441-1449.
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Adler, R. F. and Benbunan-Fich, R. 2012. Juggling on a High Wire: Multitasking Effects on Performance, International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 70 (2), 156-168.
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Adler, R. F. and Benbunan-Fich, R. 2012. The Effects of Positive and Negative Self-Interruptions in Discretionary Multitasking. In Proceedings of the CHI 2012 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computer Systems, pp. 1763-1768, Austin, TX.
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Benbunan-Fich, R., Adler, R. F., and Mavlanova, T. 2011. Measuring Multitasking Behavior with Activity-Based Metrics, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 18 (2), 1-22.
- Benbunan-Fich, R., Adler, R. F., and Mavlanova, T. 2009. Developing New Metrics for Computer-Based Multitasking Behavior. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), 1-13, #132, Phoenix, AZ.
- Benbunan-Fich, R., Adler, R. F., and Mavlanova, T. 2009. Patterns of Home Computer Usage among College Students: An Exploratory Study. In Proceedings of the AMCIS 2009, 1-9, #112, San Francisco, CA.
- Benbunan-Fich, R., Adler, R. F., and Mavlanova, T. 2009. Towards New Metrics for Multitasking Behavior. In Proceedings of the CHI 2009 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 4039-4044, Boston, MA