“But the power of self-tracking is even more profound. It’s not just that collecting this data can help us change our behavior all on its own. Using the immensely powerful tools now becoming available, we can set up positive feedback loops: We keep track of something, see how the data matches up with what we’d like to have happen, and then use that knowledge to modify our actions.

The effect of feedback on attempts to change behavior is well established. A 2001 study in the American Journal of Health Behavior showed that personalized feedback increased the effectiveness of everything from smoking-cessation programs to interventions for problem drinkers to exercise programs. Feedback is important and powerful; it works.”

The Nike Experiment: How the Shoe Giant Unleashed the Power of Personal Metrics


Posted 2 years ago

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© Adnan Chowdhury 2011