Design & Behavior-MM Essay 2

Behavior Change - An Interesting Theory


According to BJ Fogg (2009) of the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University, there are three factors that influence behavior change from a design standpoint.  Fogg (2009) proposes a new model of understanding human behavior by asserting that the following must be present in order for a person to perform a specific behavior:

1. Motivation to perform the behavior
2. Ability to perform the behavior
3. An effective trigger for the behavior to occur.

The Fogg Behavior Model (FBM) asserts that in order for any behavior to occur, all three of the above must be present and offers a fascinating perspective on behavior change and design.  Perhaps the most interesting component of the model is what Fogg identifies as the primary motivators for creating a desired behavior which are:

• Pleasure or Pain — both cause an instant sensation in humans  which causes motivation
• Hope or Fear —  Humans fear rejection, he asserted, which can occur if we don’t do something.
• Belonging  — because we are all social creatures.

The clip below offers a concrete example of how and why the design of Facebook successfully impacts behavior according to the model:

For a further explanation of how triggers work in affecting behavior, the video below also provided some useful insight by using YouTube as an example:

Other examples of triggers I can readily identify that successfully motivate me to act are:

• the email notifications from Sakai indicating that someone has posted a comment or thread
• that annoying sound that my car makes if I fail to wear a seat belt
• emails from various merchants notifying me of an incredible sale or free shipping promotion

How can these examples help me as I move forward?


While Fogg's model clearly  impacted my thought process, I began to think more deeply about how the design of everyday objects ultimately impacts human behavior in some way. Although the model offers an interesting starting point, I began to reflect on my own experiences as a user.  I started by listing some designs that shape behavior.  I came up with the following as examples:

This design concept is commonplace in the 21st Century but clearly this was not always the case.  The idea of the drive thru has eliminated both the need and the desire for many of us to get out our cars to get our fast food, medications, and groceries in some cases.  It effectively combines a few elements of my core values such as speed and simplicity.  The flashing lights that are part of many late night merchants' designs also serve as an effective trigger for behavior; they  effectively make you take notice.

I absolutely cannot recall the last time I physically stepped into a store to buy music.  For the next generation this behavior will be obsolete as Apple's design has made it unnecessary to go to a record store.  I Tunes are fast, user-friendly and the interface on the Apple Store is beyond fun and cool.  The simplicity involved in browsing around for your favorite tunes and checking out what others are buying also successfully incorporate a social aspect of impacting behavior.

I posted about this one in the forums.  This design addition to my car has further eroded my already lacking sense of direction.  Why?  Even if I'm familiar with my destination my behavior has changed due to the ease of use of the GPS System in my car.  It's voice activated which makes it super simple, suggests alternate routes (how's that for user friendly?) and integrates with my I-pod which makes it fun and pleasing to interact with. 

Several research studies on classroom design suggest that the classroom layout has a direct impact on students' behavior.  Open spaces with comfortable furniture like beanbags, rugs and lamps are more inviting to kids' and their behavior reflects this.  Even the colors on the walls of a classroom has been shown to directly impact how students act in the classroom space.  Classroom configuration where desks are in groups suggest to kids that the expectation is to work collaboratively and share ideas.

The clip below on text messaging is yet another example of a design concept that has created dramatic shifts in behavior and has become the primary means of communication for teens.   What I find most interesting is how this design has impacted behavior so much that a new language of sorts has emerged that has effectively crossed over into mainstream writing classes.

The Fun Theory??

It is clear that design can and does function in shaping behavior.  This idea is at the core of various industries, as illustrated by Design By Intent, an interesting website based on the research by Dan Lockton who is an industrial engineer and researcher. Lockton's theory asserts that design is used in numerous settings from marketing to manufacturing, and that it is the intent on the part of the designer that influence certain behaviors.

In thinking about my proposed design innovation,  one of my primary concerns is how to get people to WANT to use a particular tool for a specific purpose.  The tool I have in mind already has some core components built into the design that are reflective of my personal design values; it's social in nature, students find it fun to use in certain contexts and its relatively simple and intuitive.

My challenges are :

• The tool itself is hugely successful for those users who are already highly engaged with digital media; however large numbers of students appear to remain as lurkers or use the space inconsistently
• Feedback is built into the tool but attempts have not been made to improve the quality of critiques in order to move kids from novices to experts in creating digital artifacts
• The tool has been used successfully for multimedia but attempts to infuse more academic components into the space have been largely unsuccessful
• Tracking improvement of kids' skill sets is difficult due to the tools current usage & design

I decided to revisit YouTube for a series posted called The Fun Theory whose basic tenant is that fun is the easiest way to change human behavior for the better.  Take a look at the following clips:

Whether you agree with this rather simple view of modifying behavior, it does offer some value in that it reminds us that as people we are more motivated to do things that help us experience pleasure in some way. Moggridge (2007) states that in addition to being user-centered,  designs will be more apt to thrive if they are enjoyable aesthetically and behaviorally as evidenced in the above examples.  

In order to intentionally shape behavior I intend to keep in mind the combined impact of fun and pleasure as outlined by Norman (2004).  Norman stresses the importance of creating a "state of positive affect" (p. 103) and uses Google as the ultimate example of a design that encompasses usability, play and fun while simultaneously modifying behavior.

Next Steps??

Can I motivate students to create more thoughtful feedback?  Can I get more students to actually want to use the tool on a regular basis?  Can I get them to engage with the tool for academic purposes?  These are the questions I will attempt to tackle by combining what I've learned about how values and design can serve as catalysts to impact human behavior.

References:

Fogg, B.J. (2009). A behavior model for persuasive design. Unpublished manuscript, Persuasive   Technology Lab, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. Retrieved from http://behaviormodel.org/index.html

Moggridge, B. (2007). Designing interactions Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Norman, D. (2004). Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. New York, NY: Basic Books