Wharton's Free Tool Uses Neuroscience to Optimize Team Meeting Times

Wharton Neuroscience has launched a free scheduling tool called When2DoWhat. It helps teams find the best meeting times by considering individual chronotypes and meeting purposes. The tool builds on research into daily cognitive cycles that vary from person to person. Chronobiology research shows that people experience daily cycles of peak performance, low points, and recovery. These personal patterns, known as chronotypes, can differ widely among team members. Ignoring them may reduce meeting effectiveness and team engagement.

To address this, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) can identify each person’s chronotype. When2DoWhat then uses this data to recommend optimal times for different types of meetings. Rotating meeting times fairly can also balance the cognitive load across global teams.

The approach has already shown success. Takeda, a global biopharmaceutical company, improved employee experience and collaboration by applying neuroscience principles to scheduling. The Nano Tool was developed by a team including Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson, Michael Platt, Xiangyu Jiang, Shreyas Singh, Elizabeth Beard, Natalie Richardson, Rene Putz, Ryan McCreedy, and Kevin Nunley. The tool is part of broader efforts to apply neuroscience in business. It links to Wharton’s executive education programme, The Neuroscience of Business: Innovations in Leadership and Strategic Decisions. Leaders who adopt such methods can reduce scheduling conflicts and boost team productivity.