You’re more likely to embrace new technologies if they’re sensitive to your human needs and desires, according to an article recently published by the creative consultancy Lippincott. Successful technologies like Uber and Amazon’s Alexa, the authors say, incorporate principles of behavioral science — they’re designed to be “understanding, compassionate, perceptive, attentive and delicate.”
As I read the article, I kept thinking about flipping the script and using the “sensitive design” approach to evaluate the many benefits technologies flooding the market and vying for our attention. Could the design principles help us determine which technologies are best for our employees and their families and therefore increase engagement? I think so — in fact, sensitive design may be key to selecting the best benefits technologies on the market.
Here’s my brief summary of the authors’ five principles to make technology human. But don’t rely on my summary, read the full article!
The next time you’re faced with selecting the best technology to engage your employees in their health and wellbeing, I encourage you to apply the Lippincott design principles. Immerse yourself in the technology offerings and ask the questions listed in An Employers’ Guide to Evaluating Benefits Technology – A Cheat Sheet, which are adapted from the authors’ cheat sheet for identifying sensitive technologies.