The role of optimization in the human dynamics of tasks execution

TL;DR

This paper investigates how human task execution dynamics are influenced by rational decision-making and cost minimization, challenging the assumption that high-priority tasks are always executed first, and reveals complex behaviors depending on cost structures.

Contribution

It introduces a dynamic programming model analyzing task prioritization based on cost minimization, providing insights into when traditional priority protocols are valid or lead to complex dynamics.

Findings

Task execution dynamics depend on cost structures.

Rational decision-making can produce complex task execution patterns.

Priority protocols may not always reflect actual human behavior.

Abstract

In order to explain the empirical evidence that the dynamics of human activity may not be well modeled by Poisson processes, a model based on queuing processes were built in the literature \cite{bar05}. The main assumption behind that model is that people execute their tasks based on a protocol that execute firstly the high priority item. In this context, the purpose of this letter is to analyze the validity of that hypothesis assuming that people are rational agents that make their decisions in order minimize the cost of keeping non-executed tasks on the list. Therefore, we build and solve analytically a dynamic programming model with two priority types of tasks and show that the validity of this hypothesis depends strongly on the structure of the instantaneous costs that a person has to face if a given task is kept on the list for more than one step. Moreover, one interesting finding is that in one of the situations the protocol used to execute the tasks generates complex one dimensional dynamics.