What is even more challenging to develop than meaning-making through the human-readable information visualization layer, and which arguably has been mostly nonexistent to date, is the ‘So What’ layer that impels action-taking. This is the information presented in context, in such a way where it would be obvious and intuitive which actions to take as a result of seeing the information. The ‘So What’ layer makes sense of the data, and allows action items to be derived based on real information. Data can be seen more scientifically, relating what might have seemed not to be related with what is actually related. There are several reasons why the reaction to some of the new IOT data flows might be ‘So What?’ A lot of these data flows are completely new—they are being created for the first time, and have not been previously available, especially on a consumer basis. In the past, individuals did not interact directly with a lot of data or unprocessed data. Moreover, not only are there new data flows now available, there are also new kinds of data flows. The new kinds of data flows are forcing conceptual and behavioral changes in how humans interact with data. As usual, there is typically a lag time between the availability of new technologies, and the individual and societal maturation process around them. It is just starting to be realized that there are these new data flows available, that they are new kinds of data flows, where perhaps a change in mindset is required to understand them, and further, that a deeper contemplation of the appropriate uses of the different kinds of data flows is also required.
5.3. Producing Lasting Behavior Change
Perhaps the most challenging end goal (the ‘holy grail’ outcome) of IOT tracking is lasting behavior change. One possible progression of the events required for behavior change with IOT tools is as follows: start tracking, obtain data, look at the data in infographics, determine the meaning, try a behavior change, maintain the behavior change through the three week cliff for new habit instantiation, and ultimately produce a long-lasting change. Strategies can be developed to explicitly target different components of this value chain. In particular, the IOT allows for a social engagement and gamification layer to be incorporated in every part of the process, including for some of the trickiest parts like new habit formation and maintenance.
One issue with IOT devices so far is lack of sustainable usage. Eager early adopters purchase solutions and try them briefly but do not find them enduringly useful and they become shelfware (e.g., stored unused on a shelf). One way to avoid this could be completely redefining the notion of consumer products, now conceptualizing products and services, and the vendor relationship as an ongoing dialogue rather than a one-off purchase. Social networks for consumer products and services could facilitate the dialogue, allowing ongoing communication between the solution user, the solution provider, the solution recommenders (such as peak performance coaches and preventive medicine counselors), and other ecosystem members in a light-to-heavy layer of social engagement. Some of the kinds of communication involved could be feedback on the service (users give to providers), personalized recommendations (providers and recommenders give to users), and best practices sharing and gamification (amongst users). Coaching regarding performance improvement and behavior change is an emerging growth industry, for example, a new site, coachup (
https://www.coachup.com) has recently launched to provide athletic tips from personal coaching experts. This model could be extended to other areas of personal peak performance management using IOT tools. For example, IOT-related coaches could include power-use footprint analysis and reduction consultants, environmental burden assessment coaches, genetic counselors, wellness program managers, preventive medicine strategy experts, and specialists in productivity and mental state optimization.
The most successful IOT solutions vendors will likely be those that give consumers a clear path for action-taking and behavior change with their products and services. Consumers can be directed through a road map designed to increase their engagement as the solution continues to benefit them. This road map could include the steps of getting the consumer to try quantified tracking with the solution, see the value provided by the solution, continue engagement, change behavior, and maintain the behavior change. Since even the simple act of tracking has been shown to have an impact, individuals can start with this light-touch behavior. Some of the benefits of self-tracking alone in affecting behavior change have been seen in weight loss diary-keeping [
39] and home power consumption. Electricity consumption was reduced when individuals could self-monitor and obtain feedback about their resource use: 7%–10% reductions with smart meters or other feedback [
40,
41], and a 32% reduction with feedback plus incentives [
42]. If IOT tracking can be made extremely easy (ideally automated), fun (with gamification and social engagement), and even remunerative (with rebates and cost-savings), then there could be significant growth in the types of things individuals are willing to track, and IOT data streams as a result.
One example of harnessing financial incentives in the IOT economy for behavioral change is GymPact (
http://www.gym-pact.com/), an application in the RunKeeper suite of activity tracking applications (
http://runkeeper.com/apps). Users commit a monetary amount for planned gym workouts ahead of time which are later confirmed by mobile check-ins at athletic facilities. The site claimed that 90% of the 45,000 GymPact users as of August 2012 had been successful in going to the gym on committed days [
43]. Financial rewards are paid to those that complete workouts from the pool of money generated by those that do not, averaging $0.50-$0.75 per workout per the company’s website. Another successful example of behavior change, or at least crowd participation, even without financial incentives, is the Global Corporate Challenge (
http://www.gettheworldmoving.com/) where corporate employees compete to walk at least 2,000 pedometer-measured steps every day. Enrollment has grown from 130,000 participants in 2011 to 185,000 in 2012. Some reasons for the program’s success could be that it is easy to use, has a fun visualization graphic plotting aggregate steps taken on the world map (‘You have walked from London to Mt. Kilimanjaro!’), and has lightweight social engagement and competitive elements.
5.3.1. Light-Touch IOT Microcommunications: Ambient Notification, Micropractices, and SMS Coaching
Behavior change can be a deliberate top-down commitment with explicit actions, but it does not have to be. Repetitive light touches over time from one’s IOT personal data climate may also produce a lasting impact, perhaps exactly because changes can be slowly and sustainably brought into daily practice. Ambient notification is a leading example of light-touch communication from the IOT that is becoming standard. Here, sensors capture data and notify individuals (including the user, and if permissioned in, family and physicians) via SMS text message, phone call, Tweet, email, smartwatch, email or other communication of certain events or reminders. For example, the AgaMatrix glucometer texts the user a reminder if a glucose measurement is missed. The Vitality GlowCaps medicine dispenser bottles have wireless reminder lights on the bottle cap notifying pill-takers when it is time to take or refill medication, and also send notifications by text, phone call, or email. The new concept of ‘consumer product services’ discussed in
Section 5.3 is developing with the Vitality GlowCaps as the vendor has an ongoing dialogue with users by providing progress reports of ‘scores’ related to medication adherence (sent by email or accessed on the company’s website). These light gamification techniques (
i.e., progress reports and scoring) provide an incentive to complete simple tasks by tapping into the human desire to compete and be the best. The market for medication reminders could be a lucrative case-proving demonstration of IOT technology as the World Health Organization estimates that 50% of patients fail to take medicine correctly [
44].
IOT technology and ambient notification can also support other activities for peak performance and behavior change. One example is micropractices, the idea of 30–90 second context-shifting activities such as meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises. In compressed schedules with time constraints, exercise and relaxation activities can become deprioritized, and can be re-introduced in the smaller quantized packets of micropractices. Ambient reminders could notify users of micropractice recommendations, particularly when synched with biosensor input, neurobiofeedback, attention-measurement, accelerometers, and appointment calendars to ensure that the micropractice notifications come at a propitious moment in natural cycles (like the example of ambient alarm clocks that wake users at natural moments in the sleep cycle). Again, progress-reporting, scoring, and other gamification techniques could be used to encourage different tiers of micropractices, initially 1–10 per day, and progressing to 25 or 100 per day. An integrated neurobiofeedback, calendaring, accelerometry, and GPS platform could allow micropractice notifications to adapt when someone has a heavier schedule than usual or is traveling to allow for optimum rejuvenation given dynamic circumstances. The participant could still earn a high-score (and a hardship badge) despite not being able to do as many micropractices as when schedule commitments are lighter. The quality not the quantity of micropractices is important. Another potential benefit of micropractices is their attribute of real-time cognitive stimulation as the individual is not just going through a pre-learned mechanical practice (like doing a repetitive gym workout), but is actually responding in an ongoing way to new suggestions and challenges which requires cognitive engagement.
Light-touch IOT communications can also be used for other kinds of applications and behavior change, for example in preventive interventions, messaging to interest groups, and SMS coaching. One example is the SMS group messaging interventions delivered by Infield Health over the Twilio platform (
http://www.infieldhealth.com/) in areas such as smoking cessation and improved cardio health. Another example is in the DIYgenomics empathy-building study (
http://genomera.com/studies/social-intelligence-genomics-empathy-building) where a Siri 2.0-like personal virtual coach sends participants a few messages per day designed to evoke empathy, such as “Are you going to ask me how I’m doing today?” “Who could you reach out to today?” and “I understand how you feel right now [
37].” These light-weight modules could be expanded to include training in other peak performance areas such as athletics, leadership, charisma, influence, creativity stimulation, team-building, and any other new ideas that might take advantage of microcommunications as a platform.
5.3.2. Access to Core Drivers of Human Behavior—New IOT Data Flows
What could make a significant difference in behavior change is having access to the more fundamental drivers of human behavior, both at the individual and overall human level. In the near-term it may be possible to have 24/7 access to more rigorous neural data streams, emotion-mapping information, motivation triggers, productivity determinants, and other transformative new data flows. Even if these data flows do not reveal immediate causal information or a phenomenal understanding, they may be quite useful in training desired states and other applications. There are at least two levels of training behaviors that could arise from IOT services. First is at the simple behavior and task execution level as previously discussed with ambient reminders and other light-touch IOT communications. Second is at a more complex behavior level involving cognition, for example, using IOT sensors to train mastery practices like athletic performance, getting into peak mental performance states such as focus, flow, creativity, and relaxation, and achieving peak emotional states such as gratitude, joy, optimism, and anticipation. IOT sensors may be useful for detailed feedback in the biophysical discovery and training phases of mastery practices, and then as skills develop and become internalized, used less frequently and eventually only for periodic maintenance and refreshing of the acquired practices.