Digital Media Beyond the Web
Beyond the Web, persuasive technology can take on many forms, from mobile phones to "smart" toothbrushes to the computerized trailers that sit by the roadsides and post the speed of passing cars in an attempt to persuade drivers to abide by the speed limit.
In some cases, the technology may not even by visible to the user. With the emergence of embedded computing, the forms of persuasive technology will likely become more diverse, "invisible", and better integrated into everyday life. The web, which is so prominent today, will be just one of many forms of persuasive technology within another 20 years or more.
The uses for persuasive technology also will expand in the coming decade, extending far beyond the primary applications we see today, such as advertising, marketing, and sales. At work, persuasive technology might be used to motivate teams to set goals and meet deadlines.
At home, it could encourage kids to develop better study habits. In civic life, it could persuade people to vote on Election Day. Wherever the need for persuasion exists I believe that interactive technology can play a significant role.
Advantages over Traditional Media: Interactivity
Traditional media, from bumper stickers to radio spots, from print ads to television commercials, have long been used to influence people to change their attitudes and behaviours. What's different about computer and persuasion the answer? In a word is interactivity.
As a general rule, persuasion techniques are most effective when they are interactive, when persuaders adjust their influence tactics as the situation evolves. Skilled salespeople know this and adjust their pitches according to feedback from the prospect.
Persuasive technologies can adjust what they do based on user inputs, needs and situations. An interactive program to help someone quit smoking can tailor its approach to how much the personal smokes (physical addiction) abd address the often powerful psychological issues (psychological addiction) that compel the person to smoke.
Over time, as the person reports progress or failures, the system can use its knowledge about the smoker's demographic variables as well as physical and psychological addiction issues to make suggestions (such as interactive scenarios), or provide the right kind of encouragement to help the person quit.
Traditional media cannot easily deliver such a tailored program. Today computer technology is being designed to apply traditional human techniques of interactive persuasion, to extend the reach of humans as interactive persuaders. This new new territory, both for computing technology and for human beings.
In some cases, the technology may not even by visible to the user. With the emergence of embedded computing, the forms of persuasive technology will likely become more diverse, "invisible", and better integrated into everyday life. The web, which is so prominent today, will be just one of many forms of persuasive technology within another 20 years or more.
The uses for persuasive technology also will expand in the coming decade, extending far beyond the primary applications we see today, such as advertising, marketing, and sales. At work, persuasive technology might be used to motivate teams to set goals and meet deadlines.
At home, it could encourage kids to develop better study habits. In civic life, it could persuade people to vote on Election Day. Wherever the need for persuasion exists I believe that interactive technology can play a significant role.
Advantages over Traditional Media: Interactivity
Traditional media, from bumper stickers to radio spots, from print ads to television commercials, have long been used to influence people to change their attitudes and behaviours. What's different about computer and persuasion the answer? In a word is interactivity.
As a general rule, persuasion techniques are most effective when they are interactive, when persuaders adjust their influence tactics as the situation evolves. Skilled salespeople know this and adjust their pitches according to feedback from the prospect.
Persuasive technologies can adjust what they do based on user inputs, needs and situations. An interactive program to help someone quit smoking can tailor its approach to how much the personal smokes (physical addiction) abd address the often powerful psychological issues (psychological addiction) that compel the person to smoke.
Over time, as the person reports progress or failures, the system can use its knowledge about the smoker's demographic variables as well as physical and psychological addiction issues to make suggestions (such as interactive scenarios), or provide the right kind of encouragement to help the person quit.
Traditional media cannot easily deliver such a tailored program. Today computer technology is being designed to apply traditional human techniques of interactive persuasion, to extend the reach of humans as interactive persuaders. This new new territory, both for computing technology and for human beings.