Trouble focusing at work? Artificial intelligence finds out why

Technology

By Jake Foster

8 June 2020

Computer scientists have developed an AI system that knows the reasons why we might have trouble focusing at work.

As coronavirus lockdown restrictions begin to ease across various parts of the world, millions are heading back into office-based environments.

Along with new social distancing arrangements, companies are on the lookout for new ways to get the most out of flexible working spaces.

As it turns out, the answer may lie with artificial intelligence.

The research

Researchers from RMIT University in Australia have pioneered a way to measure staff concentration and comfort levels in flexible working spaces. The method uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to uncover patterns in human behaviour.

Partnering with engineering firm Arup, two offices of 31 staff were analysed over two weeks by the AI system. These offices implemented activity-based work spaces, also known as ‘hot desking’. This is where workers can choose any space in the office to work from that suits their needs, moving around regularly if desired.

Psychologists identified different factors that might affect focus and concentration levels. Measurements of these factors were then taken over the course of the experiment.

The factors that could affect concentration levels in an office space included noise levels, temperature, humidity, air quality, air pressure, and even electromagnetic fields.

Following this, the data was fed into the AI system. Lead researcher Dr Mohammad Saiedur Rahaman explains:

“We used that information along with survey data to train machine learning algorithms that could identify patterns in perceived concentration and activity, and then provided solutions for making these spaces work best for people.”

The findings

The study found that most staff enjoyed using an activity-based work space where they moved around regularly. Subsequently, most workers found a favourite spot to work from – such as near a window, kitchen or corner. As a result, staff found it more difficult to focus when not using their favourite spot.

Temperature was a major factor in concentration levels. Most staff found it difficult to concentrate when temperatures fell below 22.5 degrees Celsius. The later the day went on, the more sensitive staff became to this.

Other influential factors in focus included sleep quality the night before and the number of meetings attended in a day. Those who had five or more formal meetings per day reported lower concentration levels than those with fewer.

High carbon dioxide levels in the office also played a significant role, Rahaman noted. “The results for CO2 and thermal comfort underline just how important a high-quality heating, cooling and ventilation system is in office design, as well as indoor plants to reduce CO2.”

What the future holds

Dr Rahaman and his team have high hopes for what this research can achieve.

“We see this type of system having the potential to eventually be used to enable informed decision-making regarding workplace design and layout, or even to suggest to people when to take breaks, what zone might suit them best and so on.”

Project partner Shaw Kudo believes that this research could be especially helpful in a post COVID-19 working world. “The valuable findings from this work can feed into future designs and allow [us] to better service our clients as they plan their future workplace – whether this is a new-build, or a return to the office after COVID-19.”

As workers return to the norms of everyday office life, artificial intelligence can help to create a more comfortable transition. When it comes to understanding focus in flexible working spaces, AI has it down to a fine science.