Rating: 
Summary: Practical Scholarship at Its Best
Review: "Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do" by B.J. Fogg puts to rest the old adage about ivory tower academics obsessing over trivia. The research studies reported in this book demonstrate the power and practicality of scholarly methods when applied to real world issues. Moreover, Fogg's methodology and findings are presented in highly accessible language that can be understood by anyone from high school students on up.But the remarkable comprehensibility of this work should not be taken for a lack of substance. Make no mistake, there are many deep ideas herein and the ethics of using computers to influence behavior are given the same insightful treatment as the applied techniques surveyed throughout. Yet beyond the specific findings of the studies reported on its pages (which will eventually be extended or superceded), Persuasive Technology offers a truly rich framework that defines the shape of an entirely new discipline. As such it will stand the test of time and serve as a guide to generations of scholars, designers, and developers in the years ahead. This book should be required reading for anyone contemplating a high tech startup venture, developing a web presence for his or her organization, or studying such topics as Communications, Information Science, Marketing, and Computer Science.
Rating:
Summary: Read chapter 7, then the whole book
Review: Although much has been made of the secondary effects of technology--such as how "Email makes everyone a writer"--Fogg's book is the first that I am aware of to explicitly look at how computers themselves can be used as agents to change how people behave and think. As such, Fogg breaks a lot of new ground, giving a theoretical framework and practical advice for understanding how computers and the world-wide web work as persuasive media. Fogg wisely defines computers broadly: essentially, any interactive technology is a computing device, from the common desktop computer to a heart-rate monitor that gives feedback and analysis to the wearer. Of particular note: Chapter 7 deals with what makes a web-site believable, and should be required reading for any web designer or content developer who wants surfers to change an action or belief based on their site, whether that action is as simple as returning to that site again and again or as complicated as stopping smoking. This chapter alone will be worth having the entire book on your shelf. Another insight Fogg makes that struck me is how computers differ from traditional media in their ability to persuade: computers can adapt (within their programming of course) the message, its frequency and many other variables based on the response of the user. Television and print can't do that. This ability gives computers great power to persuade, closer in some ways to a human adapting a speech based on crowd response. Of course, computers have many advantages as persuasive agents that humans do not, such as the ability to provide anonymity and simulation of events. Persuasive Technology is filled with similar insights. This is a very accessible book. Easy to skim when it deals with something less relevant to you. (Fogg's background in information design shows to great benefit.) All in all worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating window a future already on our doorstep
Review: An excellent introduction to CAPTology, the study of Computers As Persuasive Technologies. Fogg takes us through the core principles (42 in all) of using computers as persuasive agents, and the research he and others have done which underpins those principles. In the process he provides a fascinating look at cutting-edge and potential future applications of computer and mobile technologies (such as location-linked reminder systems) that could enhance our lives. However, he does not dismiss the darker uses of the technology and the very real ethical issues it raises. Towards the end of the book, he argues that studying computer-human persuasion can provide new insights into human-human persuasion, and the crossover in many of the principles discussed is readily apparent. I took away from this book a new awareness of how systems used in my organisation could be enhanced to make things better for our customers, as well as a deeper understanding of persuasion in general. I would also recommend "The Media Equation", which discusses some of the same issues as well as similar issues related to television.
Rating:
Summary: MADE ME SMARTER -- next best thing to the Stanford class
Review: BJ Fogg's book made me smarter. For me that's the bottom line: how much did I learn? Well, a lot! I now view computing technology in a new way, and I feel like I have a sense of what the future of computing holds, both good and bad. The book has given me a mental framework for organizing persuasive technology, and I found the examples memorable (some of them are amusing). I would love to be part of Dr. Fogg's class at Stanford. Reading this book was the next best thing.
Rating:
Summary: A Commercial Perspective on Persuasive Technology
Review: Dr Fogg's new book on Persuasive Technology has given me some significant new insights on how computers are becoming persuasive by design and, therefore, how we can better drive credibility into our mission critical commercial web tools. As a tax partner in a global professional services firm I know how important our web tools are in building and maintaining the trust of our clients. Today, millions of dollars of client service revenue are at stake on this very point! Heretofore I've have seen little research based commentary on how to improve the effectiveness of commercial web tools. This has now changed with the introduction of Dr Fogg's new book. Chapter seven on Credibility and the World Wide Web is right on point. In this chapter I found several simple but profound categories of web credibility "uppers" and "downers" that I am in the process of rethinking to ensure that our clients have the most persuasive experience possible when they use one of our web tools. For this reason, I have recommended this book to my colleagues in our national technology design center in Dallas.
Rating:
Summary: Practical fundamentals of persuasive computing
Review: Dr. Fogg has spent a number of years creating the field of Captology - Computers as Persuasive Technology - from foundations in several diverse fields. Dr. Fogg's "Persuasive Technology" neatly presents his work over the last several years. His book provides solid background and well-structured frameworks for informing the design process of persuasive systems. "Persuasive Technology" is an in depth look at the cognitive and social factors surrounding computers as persuasive technology. Dr. Fogg takes several steps from research to practice by clearly organizing the research and theory into actionable frameworks and principles that help designers develop coherent strategies and products. His work on web credibility goes even further to provide very actionable metrics and specific factors that help improve or detract from a web site's credibility. It's refreshing to find someone in research that has pushed hard to assist the transition of ideas from research to practice. His book is not a "how-to" cookbook of guidelines for creating persuasive software. Great design rarely proceeds from slavishly following lists of guidelines. It involves understanding the user and their behavior, the problem space and the media, and creating optimal solutions. "Persuasive Technology" provides the necessary fundamentals for design in this domain and stands with classics like "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman in achieving this end. Dr. Fogg ends by taking on the controversial topic of ethics in persuasive computing and steps forward as a champion of using persuasive computing for the benefit of users while acknowledging the darker side that exists. "Persuasive Computing" is an essential read for those interested in this area and in recognizing unwanted persuasion. I look forward to more work in this nascent field, both from Dr. Fogg and others who follow his lead. Andy Cargile
Director of Design Research
Attenex Corporation
Rating:
Summary: Practical fundamentals of persuasive computing
Review: Dr. Fogg has spent a number of years creating the field of Captology - Computers as Persuasive Technology - from foundations in several diverse fields. Dr. Fogg's "Persuasive Technology" neatly presents his work over the last several years. His book provides solid background and well-structured frameworks for informing the design process of persuasive systems. "Persuasive Technology" is an in depth look at the cognitive and social factors surrounding computers as persuasive technology. Dr. Fogg takes several steps from research to practice by clearly organizing the research and theory into actionable frameworks and principles that help designers develop coherent strategies and products. His work on web credibility goes even further to provide very actionable metrics and specific factors that help improve or detract from a web site's credibility. It's refreshing to find someone in research that has pushed hard to assist the transition of ideas from research to practice. His book is not a "how-to" cookbook of guidelines for creating persuasive software. Great design rarely proceeds from slavishly following lists of guidelines. It involves understanding the user and their behavior, the problem space and the media, and creating optimal solutions. "Persuasive Technology" provides the necessary fundamentals for design in this domain and stands with classics like "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman in achieving this end. Dr. Fogg ends by taking on the controversial topic of ethics in persuasive computing and steps forward as a champion of using persuasive computing for the benefit of users while acknowledging the darker side that exists. "Persuasive Computing" is an essential read for those interested in this area and in recognizing unwanted persuasion. I look forward to more work in this nascent field, both from Dr. Fogg and others who follow his lead. Andy Cargile
Director of Design Research
Attenex Corporation
Rating:
Summary: Fogg's research critical to improving public healthcare
Review: Dr. Fogg makes several critical points that are essential to improving the US healthcare system, particularly in the area of preventative disease: * Computers offer an advantage over traditional persuasive media because they are interactive.
* As a tool, computers can be persuasive by making target behavior easier to do.
* Leading a user through a process aids in persuasion.
* Persuasive technologies often perform calculations or measurements that motivate.
* As a medium, a computer will be persuasive if it allows users to explore cause-and-effect relationships.
* Computing technologies that help people rehearse a behavior can be persuasive.
* Persuasive technologies can provide users with vicarious experiences that motivate them to change their behavior.
* By rewarding people with positive feedback, computers act as persuaders.
* Persuasive technologies often model a target behavior or attitude.
* Computers that create a relationship with the user and provide social support are effective persuaders.
Rating:
Summary: Fogg's research critical to improving public healthcare
Review: Dr. Fogg makes several critical points that are essential to improving the US healthcare system, particularly in the area of preventative disease: • Computers offer an advantage over traditional persuasive media because they are interactive.
• As a tool, computers can be persuasive by making target behavior easier to do.
• Leading a user through a process aids in persuasion.
• Persuasive technologies often perform calculations or measurements that motivate.
• As a medium, a computer will be persuasive if it allows users to explore cause-and-effect relationships.
• Computing technologies that help people rehearse a behavior can be persuasive.
• Persuasive technologies can provide users with vicarious experiences that motivate them to change their behavior.
• By rewarding people with positive feedback, computers act as persuaders.
• Persuasive technologies often model a target behavior or attitude.
• Computers that create a relationship with the user and provide social support are effective persuaders.
Rating:
Summary: Exploring The Future Of Computers
Review: Extremely well written, easy to grasp, and absolutely mesmerizing. Read this book to learn about this new discipline, and to change the way you view the world of computers. Anyone who considers themselves a serious designer must now as well become fluent in Captology! Luckily for us B.J. Fogg is here to show us the way.
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