Many software applications today aim at changing the behaviors and/or attitudes of their users. Some of these persuasive systems are targeted to support healthier lifestyles through motivating exercise. Incorporating persuasive strategies into software functionality may help achieve desired changes. However, as needs for behavior change become more specialized, in-depth knowledge of how the various strategies function is needed. This article describes findings from a three-month-long qualitative field trial, exploring how a training program in a new prototype heart rate monitor promotes proper exercising. A framework for evaluating and designing persuasive systems was used to identify distinct strategies and techniques that were embedded into the system. Users' responses to these strategies were explored. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on persuasive design by: 1) demonstrating how persuasive techniques can be identified in and embedded into system functionality, and 2) adding to the understanding of how persuasive techniques function.
['Marja Harjumaa', 'Katarina Segerståhl', 'Harri Oinas-Kukkonen']
Understanding persuasive software functionality in practice: a field trial of polar FT60