designing pro environmental behavior into product interfaces

Designing Product Interfaces to Promote Pro-Environmental Behavior

Dave Miller, IDSANew York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study

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Atmospheric CO2 Concentrationhttp://www.skepticalscience.com/co2-measurements-uncertainty.htm

390ppm

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Tomorrow’s Forecast

Climate Change 2007 Synthesis Reporthttp://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/figure-spm-5.html

Damage to corals and fish stocksDecline of agricultural output

20-50% of species face increased extinction riskCoastal cities face increased flooding

Widespread extinctionsDisruption of ecosystem services

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Carbon Intensity of Modern Life

Hans Rosling and the magic washing machinehttp://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine.html

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Carbon Intensity 2050

Hans Rosling and the magic washing machinehttp://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine.html

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CO2 Emissions ForecastSteven J. Davis, Ken Caldeira, H. Damon Matthews. Future CO2 Emissions and ClimateChange from Existing Energy Infrastructure

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Policy + Technologyhttp://www.celsias.com/article/case-carbon-tax/

http://www.chevrolet.com/

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Product Lifecycle

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Product Lifecycle: Relative Impacts

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Behavioral Intervention Points

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5 BILLION 2 BILLION

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Control of energy use vs. energy consumption

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Energy used in Washing Clothes

Running Washing Machine: 10-30%

Water Heating:70-90%

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Theoretical Framework: Fogg Behavior Model

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Information Delivery

ActionFeed Forward Feed Back

Time

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Feedback Presentation

Smartgauge Instantaneous

Feedback Longitudinal

Feedback9mpg fuel economy improvement over EPA test cycle

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Interface Design for Sustainability

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Problem: People don’t know what water

temperature goes with each cycle No information is provided about energy

use relative to water temperature choices

Hypotheses: Does making explicit the environmental

impact of water heating encourage users to use cold water?

Does providing functional information on controls allow users to make more informed choices?

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Study I: Proximity of the message Authority of the message

Does information on energy savings from washing in cold water change user behavior?

Inline flow meters Measure hot and

cold water flow Datalogging

system Open Source

Arduino Microcontroller

Software determines water temperature selected

Measurement Systems

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2x2x2 factorial design + control Independent Variables

Proximity▪ High Proximity (label on washing machine)▪ Low Proximity (wall sign)

Authority▪ With Authority (Hercules Logo on sign)▪ No Authority (No Logo)

Time Period▪ Pre-intervention (no signage)▪ Post-Intervention (signage in place)

Control Condition (no signage) Dependent Variable

Cycle Water temperature selection

Study I

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High Proximity Low Proximity Control

Authority

No Authority No Prompt

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Study I Results

No Authority Authority No Authority Authority Low Proximity High Proximity Control

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

T128.6%

T121.5% T1

20.3%T1

18.4%

T127.1%

T124.5%

T225.1% T2

23.8%

T227.4% T2

27.1%

T223.6%

T225.9%

Study I Percent Cold Water Washes

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Study I: Discussion Main effect of proximity▪ High proximity (on machine) signs

significantly changed behavior▪ Low Proximity (on wall) signs did not

significantly change behavior No main effect of authority▪ Insufficient differentiation between signs▪ Label on machine assumed to be high-

authority▪ Is Hercules a recognized authority?

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Study II: Elements of the Message

Environmental Motivation Functional Information▪ Cycle Water temperature selection

(Hot/Warm/Cold)▪ Energy Saving button label (only on cold

water cycles)

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2x3x2 Factorial Design + Control Independent Variables

Environmental Motivational Prompt▪ Environmental Prompt Present▪ Environmental Prompt Absent

Button Label▪ Suggested use (Factory Label – e.g. “Whites”)▪ Saves Energy Button Label (on cold water cycles)

+ Suggested Use▪ Water Temperature Button Labels

+ Suggested Use Time Period▪ Pre-intervention▪ Post Intervention

Dependent Variable Cycle water temperature selection

Study II

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Current label

Cycle recommended for clothing type

Eco/Functional Label

Cycle recommended for clothing type

+Energy saving cycle

Functional Label

Cycle recommended for clothing type

+Water Temperature

No Prompt

Study II Outline

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Study II Results

Envir

onmental

Prompt

Envir

onmental

Prompt +

Tempera

ture Lab

els

Tempera

ture Lab

els

Envir

onmental

Prompt +

"Sav

es En

ergy"

button label

"Save

s Energ

y" button la

bel

Control

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

T122.7%

T125.5%

T129.0%

T128.9%

T120.1%

T138.6%

T224.8%

T227.0%

T229.5%

T231.0% T2

28.7%

T239.0%

Study II Percent Cold Water Washes

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Study II: Discussion Environmental Motivational Prompt▪ No significant effect

Functional Message▪ No significant effect

“Energy Saving” button label▪ Collapses motivational and functional

messages▪ Significant effect, only when alone▪ Reactance?▪ Noise in the data?

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Survey Results: Wash Temperature x Load Type

Stained or very dirty items

Whites Colors Bright Colors Delicates Technical fabrics / sports clothing

Sheets Towels

Hot 36 58 14 14 10 9 42 51

Warm 27 51 64 42 34 21 51 49

Cold 36 63 95 93 86 52 48 49

10

30

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

Wash Temperature Selections by Load TypeN

umbe

r of S

urve

y Re

spon

ses

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Loads washed at a time x sorting

1 2 3 4 5 More Than 5

Sorted 24 83 22 5 2 1

Unsorted 28 13 2 0 0 0

10

30

50

70

90

110

Number of loads run at once x wash loads separated

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Self-Reported Behavior Change vs. Telemetry

Functi

onal Lab

el

Control

Envir

onmental

Prompt

Prompt +

functi

onal lab

els

Prompt +

"Sav

es En

ergy"

button label

"Save

s Energ

y" button la

bel0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Survey Results vs. Change in Behavior

Have you noticed any signs or labeling regarding energy conservation on the washing machines?Do you think the energy conservation labeling changed your behavior?Percent Increase In Cold Water Washes

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Conclusions for Product Design Behavior design can realize substantial

gains beyond engineering improvements alone

Designing environmental information into product interfaces is effective

Information should be presented ahead of users’ decisions

Information must be highly specific

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Failures

Unable to change the washing machine button labels

Performance anxiety-clothes might not get clean in cold water

Different types of laundry loads (stains and soils)

Non-independence of events

Other influences Contamination from

other signs bedbugs

Limitations

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Deploy university-wide Work with Industry

Extend to other arenas Light switches Other products

Future Directions

Whirlpool Vantage Display

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Dave Miller IDSA

New York University Gallatin School of Individualized StudyStanford University Persuasive Technology LabIndustrial Designers Society of America – New York Chapter

DaveBMiller@nyu.edu@davebmillerDaveBMiller.wordpress.com

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Normative Influences