A method, system, and computer program product for optimizing recognition of presentation space data. Presentation space data is sent from a legacy host application to a workstation. A workstation application monitors arrival of multiple predetermined presentation space definitions, and invokes an appropriate target object to process each recognized presentation space of interest. Prioritization techniques are used to optimize the recognition process, whereby higher priority definitions are processed first. A time of day heuristic is defined, which influences priority of presentation space recognition according to the time of day in which specific presentation space data typically arrives at the user's workstation. Priority pools may be used to provide a desired granularity of priority. Priority may be learned dynamically by the implementation, and may be initialized explicitly (or defaulted). Priority of a definition may be demoted if an inactivity timer expires. Priority information may be persisted to a data store.