To be able to solve complex information problems in a digital environment is a key 21st century skill. Technology users usually expect to achieve their goals in a fast and accurate way. However, the actual relationship between time-on-task and task outcome is currently not well understood. We analyzed data from a large-scale international study in which representative samples of adults had to solve more or less complex problems using standard computer applications. Our results indicate that different task characteristics influence the relationship between problem-solving performance and time-on-task in specific ways. Spending more time on a task is more likely to compensate an average problem solver when task complexity can be attributed to intrinsic task and technology drivers than when complexity stems from the cognitive/metacognitive activities belonging to information problem-solving processes per se, especially acquiring and evaluating information. Thus, the interpretation of time-on-task should take the source of difficulty into consideration. Implications for personal and professional development are discussed.

中文翻译：

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任务特征作为难题的根源和任务解决时间在数字化解决问题中的作用

能够解决数字环境中的复杂信息问题是21世纪的一项关键技能。技术用户通常期望以快速准确的方式实现其目标。但是，目前尚不清楚任务执行时间与任务结果之间的实际关系。我们分析了一项来自大型国际研究的数据，其中成年人的代表性样本必须使用标准计算机应用程序来解决或多或少的复杂问题。我们的结果表明，不同的任务特征会以特定方式影响问题解决性能与任务时间之间的关系。当任务复杂性可以归因于内在任务和技术驱动因素时，与在复杂性源于属于信息问题解决过程本身（尤其是获取和解决问题的认知/元认知活动）引起的情况下，在任务上花费更多的时间更有可能补偿一般的问题解决者。评估信息。因此，对任务时间的解释应考虑到困难的根源。讨论了对个人和职业发展的影响。