Grants talk:IdeaLab/Reminders to know when you need to stop and take a rest

Technical solution for a human problem

I applaud ProtoplasmaKid for the initiative to try to help the state of our movement, and I'd be willing to help with coding a script or browser extension for tracking and warning users of long stretches of editing. However, I do see this as much more likely to help people who are already able to identify the warning signs of fatigue and burning out in themselves then in the users who more frequently burn themselves out. In all, I see this as a very human problem, it is unlikely technical solutions can remedy it. We need communities that better communicate expectations and welcome all contributions to help with editors feeling unappreciated. Chico Venancio (talk) 21:32, 25 July 2018 (UTC)

Some academic citations in favor of these reminders

Commentary Many adverse effects of extended screen time have been documented (Blatter and Bongers 2002; Hayes et al. 2007), as well as adverse effects of chronic sleep deprivation (Kongsomboon 2010) and how it does raise making mistakes (Barger et al. 2006). The fact of the matter here is not whether the “Wikipedian’s disease” is real, but rather a way of curtailing it.

In other settings, a software intervention or alleviates some problems associated with sitting down too long [Irmak, Bumin, and Irmak (2012); Erdinc2008] and people opting in to text-based interventions seem to better respond to their original intentions, like exercising (Prestwich, Perugini, and Hurling 2009; Fry and Neff 2009). So it seems plausible to me that some form of reminder might help users with simple actions (even as simple as drinking water and stretching often), it doesn’t need to be very high-tech and can probably be done with minimal resources.

Perhaps these kind of reminders could be used in the future not only to discourage unhealthy behaviour, but to encourage participation in editors (remember your goal of xx edits a month!)

--Andycyca (talk) 23:36, 25 July 2018 (UTC)

References

Barger, Laura K, Najib T Ayas, Brian E Cade, John W Cronin, Bernard Rosner, Frank E Speizer, and Charles A Czeisler. 2006. “Impact of Extended-Duration Shifts on Medical Errors, Adverse Events, and Attentional Failures.” Edited by Emmanuel Mignot. PLoS Medicine 3 (12). Public Library of Science (PLoS):e487. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.0030487.

Blatter, B. M., and P. M. Bongers. 2002. “Duration of Computer Use and Mouse Use in Relation to Musculoskeletal Disorders of Neck or Upper Limb.” International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 30 (4-5). Elsevier BV:295–306. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0169-8141(02)00132-4.

Fry, Jillian P, and Roni A Neff. 2009. “Periodic Prompts and Reminders in Health Promotion and Health Behavior Interventions: Systematic Review.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 11 (2). JMIR Publications Inc.:e16. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.1138.

Hayes, John R., James E. Sheedy, Joan A. Stelmack, and Catherine A. Heaney. 2007. “Computer Use, Symptoms, and Quality of Life.” Optometry and Vision Science 84 (8). Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health):E739–E756. https://doi.org/10.1097/opx.0b013e31812f7546.

Irmak, A., G. Bumin, and R. Irmak. 2012. “The Effects of Exercise Reminder Software Program on Office Workers’ Perceived Pain Level, Work Performance and Quality of Life.” Work 41 (Supplement 1). IOS Press:5692–5. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-2012-0922-5692.

Kongsomboon, Kittipong. 2010. “Academic Achievement Correlated to Stress, Depression, and Sleep Deprivation in Medical Students.” Srinagarind Medical Journal 25 (2):109–14.

Prestwich, A., M. Perugini, and R. Hurling. 2009. “Can the Effects of Implementation Intentions on Exercise Be Enhanced Using Text Messages?” Psychology & Health 24 (6). Informa UK Limited:677–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440802040715.

Some examples?

Hi, ProtoplasmaKid, I like this idea very much! I am not sure I am visualizing it correctly, though. It looks like you have already in mind some visual form o feedback? Is that a pop-up, an icon, something changing color? It would be nice to have some examples of how this would be visually. --CristianCantoro (talk) 09:47, 26 July 2018 (UTC)

Questions from WMF

Hello ProtoplasmaKid,

Thank you for submitting your idea to this Inspire Campaign. I really enjoyed reading it and have a few follow up thoughts and questions for you to consider:

1. I think your idea is very interesting idea but would like to suggest a smaller pilot to start, such as focusing in on a particular wikipedia or beginning with a survey to gather how this tool might work. It might be helpful to gather insight on what others think would encourage them to step away and take a break.
2. Do you have further thoughts on what metrics you might use to measure success?
3. Beyond scripting help, how will you identify other volunteers?
4. Finally, does this project require funding and if so what do you estimate these costs will be?

Thank you for your time and additional thoughts. I look forward to learning more about your idea! All the best, LMiranda (WMF) (talk) 21:57, 23 August 2018 (UTC)

Thanks LMiranda! My answers:

1. Yes! I'm agree both with the pilot and the survey
2. I think the basics can be users with the active notifications, people who active it and left the tool, basically
3. I don't understand the question, can you explain a little bit?
4. I think some volunteers as Chico Venancio pointed here or others can develop. In other case I'm not sure how much funds it will be required.

Best,--ProtoplasmaKid (WM-MX) (talk) 20:05, 31 August 2018 (UTC)

@ProtoplasmaKid: Hey Ivan, thanks for these responses. This is a neat project idea that I think would make for a good pilot project specific to es.wikipedia as you noted in your idea summary. If you wanted to begin to work on it, I wanted to see where I can help. Here are some comments I have:

• Regarding metrics, measuring the number of people who opt-in is definitely an important thing to look at. One other consideration could involve some kind of interactive action that acts as a treatment to the "Wikipedia disease" that is paired this notification (e.g. using a button to logout, close the entire page, or link to another page). You could then measure many users actually do that action, or under what circumstances.
• Have you contacted Chicocvenancio to start thinking through how to build these reminders? It sounds like you both are very familiar with this phenomenon, and could do some good work together if you can coordinate.
• Regarding funding, I would say that if this project involves surveying and scripting work, and there is a it could be eligible for funding in terms of time spent doing the scripting work, testing, and any possible surveying costs. As a pilot project, I would suggest applying for funding through Rapid Grants. Before you prepare an application though, it would be good to sit down with Chico or others who are interested in building this tool to consider what the end product might look like and how long it would take to develop. I'd be happy to arrange a time to chat via Hangouts or Skype if you want to discuss some planning around preparing a grant proposal.

Thanks, I JethroBT (WMF) (talk) 20:45, 6 September 2018 (UTC)

@ProtoplasmaKid: Hi Ivan, just wanted to check in to see what thinking or planning you've done around this idea, and if there is anywhere I could help. Thanks, I JethroBT (WMF) (talk) 20:51, 13 November 2018 (UTC)