Personal technologies
When we first drafted the LIFT06 program, one of the key project I wanted us to talk about was an experiment of the Geneva hospital to fight bulimia using a web site.
They had a very interesting idea: bulimia patients have a problem with their image, and admitting being sick is shameful and tough in our society. Using the web, they could more easily get in touch with the patients and still reproduce the richness of a doctor-patient relation, monitor the weight losses, communicate the daily menu, etc…
The network would even provide a comfortable and constructive environment for exchanges. Patients wouldn’t have to walk down the street and feel observed by bystanders, and emails allowed for more direct conversations.
I thought this was interesting as it demonstrated that people are willing to rely on technology for very intimate things. And it is a key evolution for businesses. Technologies CAN carry personal relationships.
Proof is this article found on BankWatch stating that “making online banking feel personal is the next step”.
In the 1990s, online banking’s early promise fizzled for lack of a human touch and a physical place to do business. […]
Now banks say the standard is making their online “branch” do all the things that a branch manager or a loan officer reached in person or on the phone could do.
Internet users are demanding that we take the services to the next level. And this time they want the machines to feel more human. We are back in the 2002 situation where demand is ahead of the offer (full article here).
August 15th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
So, people use the internet because it avoids them the public shame of speaking out about their issues.
Then, obviously, the advice people want from the services should be personalized.
The funny thing is how that collides with people being upset at companies about the collection of the personal data. If you go digital you always leave a trace, whether that’s good or bad, and however strict regulations are.
On a (seemingly) unrelated topic, I still talk to people regularly who don’t understand that credit card numbers are stolen mostly in back-offices, whether it’s credit card companies being hacked into or travel sites for example. They think the card numbers are intercepted on the internet. The same people happily buy stuff in shops with their credit card.
Conclusion: I think this will go the way of credit cards. At some point the usefulness of the information/feedback will be such, and the data security just about enough, that people will not bother any more but simply use the systems, achieving a more and more widespread acceptance.
It’s the good ol’ threshold game, but since it’s in its infancy it’ll be the source of many more flame wars, inflamatory articles, regulatory backlashes (aol?), etc…
August 15th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
So, people use the internet because it avoids them the public shame of speaking out about their issues.
Then, obviously, the advice people want from the services should be personalized.
The funny thing is how that collides with people being upset at companies about the collection of the personal data. If you go digital you always leave a trace, whether that’s good or bad, and however strict regulations are.
On a (seemingly) unrelated topic, I still talk to people regularly who don’t understand that credit card numbers are stolen mostly in back-offices, whether it’s credit card companies being hacked into or travel sites for example. They think the card numbers are intercepted on the internet. The same people happily buy stuff in shops with their credit card.
Conclusion: I think this will go the way of credit cards. At some point the usefulness of the information/feedback will be such, and the data security just about enough, that people will not bother any more but simply use the systems, achieving a more and more widespread acceptance.
It’s the good ol’ threshold game, but since it’s in its infancy it’ll be the source of many more flame wars, inflamatory articles, regulatory backlashes (aol?), etc…
August 26th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
I am sure technology will soon be transparent in the choices people make for their personal data.
You will care about the institution you give your data to, not how you give it to them.
After all nobody asks for information on the safes and funds transports to their bank before depositing money… Gradually people gain trust and focus on the counterpart more than on the technology.
August 26th, 2006 at 11:39 pm
I am sure technology will soon be transparent in the choices people make for their personal data.
You will care about the institution you give your data to, not how you give it to them.
After all nobody asks for information on the safes and funds transports to their bank before depositing money… Gradually people gain trust and focus on the counterpart more than on the technology.