Counting the Wait: Effects of Temporal Feedback on Downstream Task Performance and Perceived Wait-Time Experience during System-Imposed Delays
Felicia Fang-Yi Tan, Oded Nov

TL;DR
This study investigates how different types of temporal feedback during system delays affect user perception, frustration, and task performance, revealing that feedback mode influences experience but not actual performance.
Contribution
It provides empirical evidence on how Remaining-Time and Elapsed-Time feedback modes impact user frustration and perception during waits, with implications for system design.
Findings
Remaining-Time feedback increases frustration
No Time Display makes waits feel longer
Feedback mode does not affect task performance
Abstract
System-imposed wait times can significantly disrupt digital workflows, affecting user experience and task performance. Prior HCI research has examined how temporal feedback, such as feedback mode (Elapsed-Time vs. Remaining-Time) shapes wait-time perception. However, few studies have investigated how such feedback influences users' downstream task performance, as well as overall affective and cognitive experience. To study these effects, we conducted an online experiment where 425 participants performing a visual reasoning task experienced a 10-, 30-, or 60-second wait with a Remaining-Time, Elapsed-Time, or No Time Display. Findings show that temporal feedback mode shapes how waiting is perceived: Remaining-Time feedback increased frustration relative to Elapsed-Time feedback, while No Time Display made waits feel longer and heightened ambiguity. Notably, these experiential differences…
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Taxonomy
TopicsPersonal Information Management and User Behavior · Human-Automation Interaction and Safety · Usability and User Interface Design
