persuasive technology : captology

Computers As Persuasive Technology (CAPT), coined by BJ Fogg, studies the research, analysis, design and ethics of using computer technology to change peoples behavior. It’s a systematic approach to change behavior and achieve a set goal. At its core is the concept of ‘simplicity’ - the role of technology being to make a task simple enabling behavior change to occur.
 
Understanding the desired behavior change (adopt, maintain, increase, decrease and stop) across frequency (one time, many times, from now on) helps reduce the task to a single unit. For example : we want new people to install an app (start), current users to continue to use it (maintain a  habit), higher usage per day/ week (increase) and so on.
 
Persuasive technology works at its best, invisibly. Creating a frictionless environment for change. Example : the dynamic newsfeed updates on Facebook subtly encourages you to refresh and engage with the content. Push notifications of news updates flashing on your mobile phone invites you to revisit the site at the earliest to be up-to-date.
 
Captology as a tool for behavior change works best when its rooted in consumer centric design – ethically and economically (encouraging addictive behaviors for technology using technology is NOT the right use of the principles of captology). Utility, goal completion and delight are the cornerstone of captology – where persuasion results in an equal value exchange between user and brand.
 
Metrics used in digital marketing can often-times obfuscate the true potential of persuasive technology and its impact. Example : if you judge the success of your website based on time spent then your team will constantly try and increase time spent using techniques & tools that decrease the user experience. Goal completion as a metric will ensure that the website design enables consumers to find information quickly, choose simply, complete multiple tasks and log out without feeling the tug of marketing tools designed to persuade them to stay on for a few seconds longer.
 
A great example of persuasive technology that’s also is of great utility is Uber. Behavior change in getting people to drive with strangers is no mean task. The design of the app took the challenges into account as created an experience that signals the wide availability of drivers (cut the stress of uncertainity in travel), share the credentials of the driver (increase trust when travelling with a stranger) and show the driver location/ arrival time (provide precision of arrival).  Despite its best intentions the user experience has not been bug free (driver credentials/ locations/ arrival times etc have all failed with consistency and surge-pricing does not help win friends). This does not take away from the design of a consumer centric experience that has managed to smoothen out many of the barriers linked to intra-city travel.
 
Net, brands that are building their digital experiences using the principles of captology need to design user experiences of utility, transparency and delight. In service of consumers.

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