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Persuasive Technologies
IMMEDIATE
LATEST COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM LOOKS AT CAPTOLOGY - COMPUTERS AS PERSUASIVE TECHNOLOGIES New York, May 7, 1999 ...Persuasive computing technology -- designed to alter behavior and attitudes -- represents good and potentially bad news. CD-ROM-based games that encourage healthy eating and highway warning signs that prevent accidents are examples of the good. Bad or questionable use can lead to self-destructive or socially dangerous actions. The art of persuasion isn't new; using computer technology to persuade and alter behavior is. The May 1999 Communications of the ACM provides an in-depth look at what the developing field of captology (computers as persuasive technology) means in everyone's lives and attitudes today and tomorrow. B.J. Fogg, this month's Communications guest editor, is director of Stanford University's Persuasive Technology Lab, Fogg opens the section with an overview of how technology is being designed to alter people's behavior and attitudes, addressing:
Phillip King, of NetSchools, and Jason Tester, of the Persuasive Technology Lab, look at the "Landscape of Persuasive Technologies." They consider such computing systems intended to influence behavior as the "Baby Think It Over" doll, helping teens realize just how much work a baby is, and the employee hand-wash monitoring system "Hygiene Guard." In "Credibility and Computing Technology," Shawn Tseng, of Quattro Consulting, and Fogg, review computers' evolution from "infallible sidekicks" to "least credible information sources." Not surprisingly, "user expertise influences how people evaluate the credibility of computing systems." "Understanding the Seductive Experience" traces the level of attraction and enticement software developers consider when creating persuasive technologies. Authors Julie Khaslavsky, of Financial Engines, and Nathan Sherdroff, of Vivid Studios, define the elements of successful product experiences. "Toward an Ethics of Persuasive Technology" concludes the section. Daniel Berdichevsky, of DemiDec Resources, and Erik Neunschwander, of the Persuasive Technology Lab, map out a framework of motivation, methods, and outcomes to consider when developing those technologies. They propose a number of design principles, including respect users' privacy and ask yourself whether your technology persuades users to do something you wouldn't want to be persuaded to do yourself. These authors want computing professionals in general and system developers specifically to be aware of the developing field of captology and how it might influence every design decision they make. Communications of the ACM is the flagship publication of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and was established in 1957. This monthly, internationally distributed magazine covers emerging technologies and issues affecting computer practitioners everywhere in every discipline and industry. Communications' 88,000 readers---developers, programmers, software engineers, and technical managers from Fortune 2000 companies, government, and universities ---represent the decision-makers steering the future of information technologies. Next month's Communications (June '99) will explore and detail emerging Internet infrastructures worldwide, especially those in developing countries, followed by information warfare (July '99), and coming trends in computer graphics (August '99).
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