Do Knob Disturb: A Tangible Controller for a Distraction-freeWork Environment

Disruptive colleagues, procrastinativeweb-browsing or low-priority e-mail are just a few types of distractions in the modern workplace. They reduce efficiency and increase perceived workload. Previous work shows that digital and social distractions can be reduced by tangible artifacts that signal phases of high concentration to colleagues or block websites. In this paper, we present the knob a holistic approach to distraction blocking. It simultaneously serves as a controller for blocking websites, managing smartphones' state, and signaling availability to colleagues. We evaluated the system through an in-situ deployment to understand how the artifact can reduce distractions. We show that the knob has the potential to improve users' self-discipline and provide suggestions for future distraction blocking solutions.