Combating attrition in digital self-improvement programs using avatar customization

Max V. Birk; Regan L Mandryk

doi:10.1145/3173574.3174234

Combating attrition in digital self-improvement programs using avatar customization

Max V. Birk, Regan L Mandryk

Systemic Change

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Digital self-improvement programs (e.g., interventions, training programs, self-help apps) are widely accessible, but can not employ the same degree of external regulation as programs delivered in controlled environments. As a result, they suffer from high attrition -- even the best programs won't work if people don't use them. We propose that volitional engagement -- facilitated through avatar customization -- can help combat attrition. We asked 250 participants to engage daily for 3 weeks in a one-minute breathing exercise for anxiety reduction, using either a generic avatar or one that they customized. Customizing an avatar resulted in significantly less attrition and more sustained engagement as measured through login counts. The problem of attrition affects self-improvement programs across a range of do-mains; we provide a subtle, versatile, and broadly-applicable solution.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Place of Publication	New York
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery, Inc
Number of pages	15
ISBN (Electronic)	978-1-4503-5620-6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/3173574.3174234
Publication status	Published - 20 Apr 2018
Event	2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2018 - Montreal, Canada, Montreal, Canada Duration: 21 Apr 2018 → 26 Apr 2018 Conference number: 36 http://chi2018.acm.org

Conference

Conference	2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2018
Abbreviated title	CHI 2018
Country/Territory	Canada
City	Montreal
Period	21/04/18 → 26/04/18
Internet address	http://chi2018.acm.org

Keywords

Avatars
Behaviour change
Customization
Motivation
Self-improvement programs
Volitional engagement

Access to Document

10.1145/3173574.3174234

Cite this

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title = "Combating attrition in digital self-improvement programs using avatar customization",

abstract = "Digital self-improvement programs (e.g., interventions, training programs, self-help apps) are widely accessible, but can not employ the same degree of external regulation as programs delivered in controlled environments. As a result, they suffer from high attrition -- even the best programs won't work if people don't use them. We propose that volitional engagement -- facilitated through avatar customization -- can help combat attrition. We asked 250 participants to engage daily for 3 weeks in a one-minute breathing exercise for anxiety reduction, using either a generic avatar or one that they customized. Customizing an avatar resulted in significantly less attrition and more sustained engagement as measured through login counts. The problem of attrition affects self-improvement programs across a range of do-mains; we provide a subtle, versatile, and broadly-applicable solution.",

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Birk, MV & Mandryk, RL 2018, Combating attrition in digital self-improvement programs using avatar customization. in Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems., 660, Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, New York, 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2018, Montreal, Canada, 21/04/18. https://doi.org/10.1145/3173574.3174234

Combating attrition in digital self-improvement programs using avatar customization. / Birk, Max V.; Mandryk, Regan L.
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. New York: Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2018. 660.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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AB - Digital self-improvement programs (e.g., interventions, training programs, self-help apps) are widely accessible, but can not employ the same degree of external regulation as programs delivered in controlled environments. As a result, they suffer from high attrition -- even the best programs won't work if people don't use them. We propose that volitional engagement -- facilitated through avatar customization -- can help combat attrition. We asked 250 participants to engage daily for 3 weeks in a one-minute breathing exercise for anxiety reduction, using either a generic avatar or one that they customized. Customizing an avatar resulted in significantly less attrition and more sustained engagement as measured through login counts. The problem of attrition affects self-improvement programs across a range of do-mains; we provide a subtle, versatile, and broadly-applicable solution.

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M3 - Conference contribution

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Combating attrition in digital self-improvement programs using avatar customization

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

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