#Note/Permanent #CognitiveScience #Productivity/TaskManagement/TaskPreparation According to a study review[^1], task preparation, or advance reconfiguration, which involves allocating more time and [[Task Set|resource]] to prepare for a specific upcoming task, can help reduce [[Switch Cost|switch cost]]. For example, consider an office worker who switches from writing a report to preparing for a meeting. This transition requires shifting focus from writing to speaking/listening and activating knowledge relevant to the meeting's topic. If the worker has more time to prepare for the meeting, they are likely to perform better compared to a last-minute switch from the unrelated task of report writing. One might assume that task preparation is only necessary for task switching, not repetition, because task switching requires allocating time and task set for the new task, while for task repetition, the preparation was already done. However, empirical data suggest that task preparation is not unique to task switching but also applies to task repetition. Related fMRI and ERP studies are inconclusive regarding the differences or similarities of preparatory processes in task switching and repetition. Consider a software developer working on a complex project involving both coding and documentation tasks. In the morning, the developer focuses on coding new features for the software (Task A). After a break, instead of switching to a completely different task, the developer plans to continue with coding—either by refining the features coded earlier or starting a new coding task. Before resuming the coding task after the break (Task A repetition), the developer spends a few minutes reviewing the code written earlier, mentally summarizing the next steps, and re-establishing the coding mindset. This preparatory phase, despite being a repetition of the task, helps in reorienting the developer's focus, making the transition back into the coding more seamless and efficient. The preparation ensures that the developer can maintain high productivity and quality of work, with reduced cognitive load, even though the task did not change. Advance reconfiguration can be categorized into two types: 1. **Endogenous Component**: This involves the internal, goal-oriented preparation for the upcoming task. It includes a process known as *goal-shifting*, where the current goal is actively placed into declarative working memory, while the previous goal is removed. This preparation is driven by the individual's internal understanding and anticipation of the task requirements. 2. **Exogenous Component**: This type of reconfiguration occurs in response to external stimuli, specifically after the presentation of a task stimulus. It involves *rule-activation*, which is the process of loading the stimulus-response translation rules relevant to the current task into procedural working memory. This is directly influenced by the external environment and the specific demands of the task at hand. [^1]: [Control and Interference in Task Switching - A Review](https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/fileadmin/06020300/user_upload/Kiesel/Kiesel_etal_2010_Psychological_Bulletin.pdf)