Implementing positive reinforcement.

Designers should provide immediate positive feedback in various formats to reinforce sustainable energy actions and boost intrinsic motivation.

About this paper

The author argues that existing energy feedback technologies are ineffective because they use a universal approach, failing to account for individual differences in attitudes and motivational stages.

They propose leveraging motivational psychology, specifically the Transtheoretical Model, to develop more personalized and effective strategies for promoting sustainable energy behaviors.

Here are some methods used in this study:

Transtheoretical Model Motivational Interviewing

Which part of the paper did the design guideline come from?

“‘Ubigreen’[24] (Figure 3, top right) employs these techniques. It is a mobile phone visualization that uses semi-automatic sensing technologies to provide feedback of transportation behaviors. It uses a series of emotionally persuasive icons [24] (i.e. a polar bear standing on an iceberg) as positive reinforcement. The more “green” one’s transportation behaviors, the further in the progression of icons one gets (i.e. the iceberg grows and the ecosystem improves) until one reaches the final stage (...)” (‘Positive Reinforcement, Emotional Persuasion (through the ELM) & Values’ section)

He, H. A., Greenberg, S., & Huang, E. M. (2010). One size does not fit all. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Inspiration and scope

This paper focuses on characteristics of designers of energy feedback technology to motivate sustainable energy behaviors.

You are designing for those interested in fintech, specifically via a cryptocurrency wallet. Your context differs from the paper's as your audience varies from fintech novices to experts, while energy tech designers are domain experts. At the same time, both contexts need an educational component—in academic design, it's about sustainable energy interventions; your design focuses on blockchain tech and financial security for proper use and trust.

They differ as the paper uses motivational psychology to change energy behaviors, while your design prioritizes usability, security, and seamless transactions, not altering financial mindsets. At the same time, both require effective user engagement—academic designs use feedback to adopt sustainable behaviors; your wallet needs easy navigation and personalized experiences to retain users.

Leverage these similarities by designing your wallet with real-time educational feedback on user actions. This will make users more knowledgeable and confident, promoting consistent usage and trust.

Your input

  • What: a crytocurrency wallet
  • Who: people who are interested in fintech
  • Design stage: Research, Ideation, Evaluation

Understanding users

The following user needs and pain points may apply to your design target as well:

Personalized Feedback

Designers can enhance cryptocurrency wallets by providing personalized feedback that helps users better understand their blockchain transactions and security practices. This approach helps users feel more competent and in control, which can increase their engagement and trust in the platform.

Positive Reinforcement

Implementing positive reinforcement techniques in cryptocurrency wallets can effectively motivate users to perform desired actions, such as regular security checks and efficient transaction management. Immediate, positive feedback can enhance users' intrinsic motivation and long-term engagement.

Design ideas

Consider the following components for your design:

1

Integrate real-time notifications explaining transaction statuses and security features.

2

Implement a personalized dashboard that highlights key financial strategies based on user transaction history.

3

Offer interactive tutorials that guide users through complex functionalities as they use the wallet.

Methods for you

Consider the following method(s) used in this paper for your design work:

Transtheoretical Model (TTM)

Using TTM helps in understanding the stages of behavior change, which is crucial for addressing the specific needs of users at different readiness levels. Designers should consider users' willingness and readiness to change when ideating solutions for fintech adoption to ensure tailored interventions.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

Applying MI helps in eliciting motivation for change from the user themselves, fostering a user-centered design approach. Designers should be aware that this method focuses on building the user's intrinsic motivation, which is essential for the ideation stage to generate engaging and personalized fintech solutions.

Metrics for you

Consider the following metric(s) used in this paper to evaluate your design work:

Intrinsic Motivation

Using intrinsic motivation can help engage users by appealing to their genuine interest and satisfaction from using the cryptocurrency wallet. Designers should be mindful to create features that provide enjoyment and a sense of accomplishment without invoking extrinsic rewards that may undermine intrinsic motivation.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement can help encourage desired behaviors such as secure transactions or efficient use of features within the cryptocurrency wallet. Designers should promptly reinforce such behaviors to maximize impact and ensure users feel competent and capable.

[Table 2] From this figure, you can draw insights into motivational goals that may help in understanding the problem space for fintech enthusiasts.