Timer dial

piecefocusconverge

Bound the session and each phase in time, so deliberation ends in a decision.

Variants

• default

Data fields

The fields a spec's page can set for this component (see switchback show timer --json):

• segments
• minutes

Grounding

Helps: when a convergent decision is being turned over long after new information has stopped arriving: a written stop time is a craft practice for forcing a choice, not a tested method

Backfires: when the stop is set on idea generation, where time pressure is the known risk, or on a decision that needs every option weighed; nothing read shows a timebox leaves decision quality intact

• DSetting a fixed time limit for a phase of work ends deliberation sooner, with no loss of decision quality for convergent tasks.Parkinson (1955), The Economist essay, Hyndman & Bisin (2026)
• CTime pressure during idea generation reduces creative, divergent output.Byron, Khazanchi & Nazarian (2010), Baer & Oldham (2006), Moreau & Dahl (2005)

What the grades mean