Term: Fall, 2013
Campus: Claremont
Location: ACB 214
Day(s) & Time: [Weds 4:00 PM – 6:50 PM]
Instructor: Dr. Samir Chatterjee, Professor & Fletcher Jones Chair of Technology & Management
Office hours: Weds 3:00 – 3:45 PM.
Contact Information:
School of Information Systems & Technology
Claremont Graduate University
Room 224, ACB
Samir.chatterjee@cgu.edu; profsamir1@gmail.com
909-607-4651 (office)
909-730-8898 (cell)
Course Overview:
Can computers change what you think and do? Can they motivate you to stop smoking, persuade you to buy insurance, or convince you to conserve water when you shower? The answer is a resounding “yes”. Until recently, most software applications and technologies were developed without much thought to how they influenced their users. This perspective is changing. Today, industry experts and academics are embracing a purposeful approach to persuasive design. In an industry context, designing for persuasion is becoming essential for success. In academic settings, the study of persuasive technology illuminates the principles that influence and motivate people in different aspects of their lives. This course will bring together the latest research happening in three distinct disciplines: information and communication technology, psychology and health sciences. Persuasive technology may be defined as any interactive computing system designed to change people’s attitudes or behaviors. The emergence of the Internet has led to a proliferation of web sites designed to persuade or motivate people to change their attitudes and behavior. The auction site eBay has developed an online exchange system with enough credibility that users are persuaded to make financial transactions and to divulge personal information. Within the domain of mobile health, systems such as mobile applications for managing obesity and digital interventions to overcome addictive behaviors have demonstrated the huge potential of persuasive technologies for behavioral changes.
There is a vibrant community of trans-disciplinary researchers worldwide that have been actively advancing the field of persuasive technology. The annual conference Persuasive Technology is now in its 9th year and will be held next year in the city of Padua, Italy. Dr. Chatterjee is a prominent member of this community and was the host/organizer of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive technology that was held at Claremont in 2009.
This course will cover the necessary content through presentations, discussions, case studies and projects. Students will explore latest research results, best practices and guidelines for the use of persuasive applications. Student teams will work on actual real world projects in which they will design and implement persuasive technology applications. In addition, the course will host several expert guest speakers (practitioners, researchers, etc.) from CGU and other outside institutions who will share their latest findings.