Role of optimization in the human dynamics of task execution

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 was built in the literature [A. L. Barabasi, Nature (London) 435, 207 (2005)]. The main assumption behind that model is that people execute their tasks based on a protocol that first executes the high priority item. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the validity of that hypothesis assuming that people are rational agents that make their decisions in order to minimize the cost of keeping nonexecuted tasks on the list. Therefore, we build and analytically solve 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 period. Moreover, one interesting finding is that in one of the situations the protocol used to execute the tasks generates complex one-dimensional dynamics.

Bursty Human Dynamics

“…Note that other extensions of the queuing model were proposed by Mryglod et al [206] and Jo et al [129], where time-varying priority was considered to model heterogeneous dynamics of editorial review processes with or without peer-review processes. Finally, Cajueiro and Maldonado [43] considered the cost of keeping a non-processed collection of tasks by introducing a discount factor, and they identified various protocols for executing tasks, depending on the discount factor, for minimising the cost function.…”

Human dynamics scaling characteristics for aerial inbound logistics operation

“…It is an enormous challenge in terms of all of the scientific attempts for the complexity and diversity of human beings. Current studies of human dynamics are more and more wide, such as short-message contacts [1], e-mail exchanges as well as library visits [2], the optimal role of task execution [3], etc. The empirical results show that the bursty nature of human behaviors very likely reflects some fundamental and potential universality class characteristics.…”

Controlling self-organized criticality in sandpile models

“…The classical example is the chaos control methodology (Ott et al, 1990;Hűbler, 1989). Other examples may be found in complex social systems (Cajueiro and Maldonado, 2008), complex biological networks (Chakrabarti et al, 2008), communication systems (Hayes et al, 1994), and discharge plasmas (Ding et al, 1994).…”