Sorority Sunscreen Submissions:A Daily Sunscreen Application

Designed by Brian Pesinhttp://habits.stanford.edu

Design ChallengeTo encourage people to incorporate using facial

sunscreen, a cycle behavior, into their daily routines. Time limit: (Intervention period) April 20-April 28

Daily Sunscreen Persuasion Challenge

Persuasive Purpose: -To convince a selected audience of five college students to incorporate the daily use of facial sunscreen, a healthy cycle behavior, into their routines.User Description:

College studentsWith established morning/shower routinesFor the purpose of this study, sorority girls in the Cowell cluster

Features/FunctionalityDaily e-mail reminds user to apply facial sunscreen

Trigger Provides the student with basic location-oriented information regarding the weather, including the UV index, which will further encourage the use of sunscreenEasily completed Google form embedded in email

For those without HTML email capability, there is also a link to the Google docSurvey can be completed on a laptop or a mobile phoneIncludes a "no" option + explanation for not using sunscreen

Encourages people to be accountable for their friendsTrack results at bit.ly/sunscreentrackMotivates by displaying positive behavior

Social modelingReminders from peers increase efficacy

Storyboard: Susie Uses Sunscreen!

1. Susie wakes up for the morning.

2. Naturally, as a sorority girl, Susie checks her emails and texts first thing.

3. Susie gets an email on her BlackBerry/laptop!

4. The email reminds Susie to apply facial sunscreen and informs her of the weather and the daily UV index.

5. The email also provides Susie with a Google form in which she can track her sunscreen use - even from her mobile phone!

6. Susie puts sunscreen on and fills out the easy Google form straight from the reminder e-mail.

7. Susie tracks her progress (and her sisters' progress) through the link at the bottom of the email to the Google form results.

8. Susie sends a sunscreen reminder via text to her sister, Sarah, after not seeing her name on the results sheet.

Prototype of S3

Sunscreen Reminder Email/Google Form

Google Doc with Tracking Results

Results of User TestingNumber of total (regular) users [response rate of 85%+]: 6 girlsAverage number of days that users applied sunscreen: 7.1 daysAverage number of days that users failed to apply: 1.3 daysAverage number of failed submissions: .33 daysNumber of submissions via traditional computers: 73/75 - 97%Number of submissions via mobile device: 2/75 - 3%

Response breakdown by user:

Average daily success rate: 81%

Results of User Testing (continued)

Common excuses for failing to apply sunscreen:"I don't need to put sunscreen on because of the weather."

Rain, cold, cloudy, wanted to tanThis was the most commonly cited excuse

"I ran out of sunscreen.""I'm staying indoors today."

Interesting excuses for failing to apply sunscreen:"I'm concerned about putting unnecessary chemicals on my face when it isn't sunny outside.""I have pink eye and I am not allowed to touch my face."

S3 Observation & AnalysisSuccessfully created the target habit within the target user group (81% success rate) using technologies such as e-mail, Google forms, Google docs, text messaging, laptops, and smartphonesRelied on theoretical habit-forming techniques

Hot triggerAccountabilityChanging a small behavior

Despite my intentions, users did not turn to their smartphones to track their sunscreen useDifficult to create habits in some users because of unbreakable preconceived notions around sunscreen

Improvements for Future InterventionsAutomated e-mail service/weather retrieval

Problems with e-mail regulation - specific delivery timeMore interactive user experience

Trigger to encourage textingMore direct ways of getting in contact with other users

Automatic pop-up on phone (for a mobile app)Make sunscreen reporting more automatic

Sorority Sunscreen Submissions:A Daily Sunscreen Application

Designed by Brian Pesinhttp://habits.stanford.edu