Designing towards productivity: A centralized AI assistant concept for work

Abstract

Recent research has shown that Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistance can significantly improve workers’ productivity. Software such as Zoom and GitHub have also recently introduced AI into the system, marketed to enhance users’ productivity. While each software has its platform, users tend to feel overwhelmed by the numerous workplace tools available. In this paper, we introduce the concept of a centralized platform based around an AI chatbot that can answer user queries from the company's knowledge base and act as a personal assistant to help the user with daily workplace tasks. Exploratory interviews confirmed the need for such a system and gathered users’ expectations, guiding the direction of the preliminary sketches. The concept is evaluated by productivity support's design and interaction aspects without implementing a functional AI chatbot. This research uses qualitative data from multiple rounds of moderated usability testing to identify factors impacting perceived usability. Results showed that participants recognized the system's potential benefits and the overall usability of the design. Participants also highlighted the positive user experience resulting from the capability to access third-party workplace tools for personalized productivity, the conversational and transparent task support interaction, the streamlined workflow with smart suggestions, and the usefulness of a tutorial for learning about the new concept. The research explores a potential shift in the role of workplace support chatbots from question responders to task collaborators. Further research can also look into the actual implementation of such systems, measure their impacts on users' productivity, and explore potential challenges and ethical considerations in deploying these AI assistants in real-world business settings.