By Loreanne Garcia

June 2010

Changing Behavior using Mobile

Simplicity

Motivation(+fun)

Triggers

Change behavior through simplicity, motivation and triggers

Source: (1) The BJ Fogg Behavior Model (II) Conversation with Professor Jennifer Aaker

Cool

Social Acceptance

Pleasure

Reduce barriers

Prompt repeat action

Mobile Technology has a unique position to persuade

• People already use it, some services are almost inexpensive and its instant

• It can persuade at the right time, at the right place

• You can take advantage of “down time”

Source: “Text Messaging as a Tool for Behavior Change in Disease Prevention and Management” Heather Cole-Lewis; Trace Kershaw

Mobile technology is being used to increase participation

Mobile technology is also being used to change behavior

…. but changing behavior through mobile is not as simple as it looks

Test: Using mobile to reduce online/offline barrier to engagement

“I’ll go if you go” pilot

• Highly motivated user: “Brides to Be”

• Target sms asking fifteen users to go the gym three times in one week

• Pilot failed: friends too busy, bad timing

What did I learn?

Simplicity

Motivation(+fun)

Triggers

Change behavior through simplicity, motivation and triggers

Source: (1) The BJ Fogg Behavior Model (II) Conversation with Professor Jennifer Aaker

Cool

Social Acceptance

Pleasure

•Hard to coordinate schedules•Activity required physical effort

• Gap between offline and offline experience

• Look for ways to close the gap between the online experience and the offline action

• Design social networks for user-to-user interaction

• Target smaller groups to increase participation and leverage social influence

• Community, competition, public recognition

Social Network and Gaming

Should have designed social networks for user-to-user interactionUser-to-Product User-to-User

‘Static experience’ ‘Conversation’

Couple online experience with offline action

Online Experienc

e

Offline Action

Advocate

Donate

Microvolunteer

Volunteer

Ongoing engagemen

t

???

4 Tags:• 2 Design

Loft• 2 Graduate

School of Business

Target smaller groups: “Unexpected Acts of Good”

Questions?