Developing an app that enhances a users daily behavior is no simple task. To achieve this we need to know how the user and the app affect each each other. To do this we want to make a simulation.
The first step to making a simulation is to break down the systems that make up our app and the behavior of the user into components. Then we can study how these parts affect each other. Identifying these components can be difficult. One of the big things is to figure out what will have an significant impact on the users motivation. If the user has low motivation, the likelihood of the app being used is also low, so we need to find a way to keep their motivation up. This can be achieved through making the app fun to use, and also by rewarding the right behavior, which in this case would be a trip to an outpost from the fortress. Simulating psychological aspects is challenging because it can’t be quantified or measured in certain terms, and different people react differently to certain elements. This is why it is important to adhere to the target audience as this makes our task more manageable.
Analyzing how the components affect each other is an ongoing process that we’re currently working on. The goal is to use what we learn to construct a simulation that can help us solve design problems and make the app fulfill its goal and be more user friendly.
- Eirik J. Henriksen
The Fort Fitness Blog 