Using task context variables for selecting the best timing for interrupting users

This paper presents a framework that helps in selecting the most appropriate timing for interruption as a way to mediate human interruptions by the computer. The conceptual framework is based on the new Interruption Taxonomy and uses Bayesian Belief Networks as a decision-support aid. A proof-of-concept model was constructed for the experimental setting used in the exploratory study that was also part of this research. The steps in constructing the model that was built into the first version of the interruption mediator will be presented to show, in detail, how one might use the proposed framework for mediating interruptions. 1