User Empowerment
User Empowerment[עריכה]
User Empowerment (UE, short for "User Empowerment") is a concept from the field of Human–computer interaction (HCI). It describes the design of digital products in a way that positively impacts users' lives beyond the digital interface over the long term. These impacts can include improvements in personal feelings, skills, professional capabilities, and broader societal benefits, often touching on core aspects of human life. User empowerment aims to strengthen users' weaknesses and enhance their strengths in their primary life trajectories. It represents the third level in digital product design, following Usability and User experience.1,2
Background[עריכה]
The term "user empowerment" was first coined in the mid-1990s by researchers such as Ben Shneiderman of the University of Maryland. Shneiderman encouraged technologists to focus on creating tools that empower users rather than exploiting them.2 Other prominent contributors include Jakob Nielsen, Donald Norman, and B. J. Fogg, whose works have significantly influenced usability, experience design, and persuasive technology, respectively.1,3,11
Empowerment Frameworks and Theories[עריכה]
User empowerment is informed by interdisciplinary theories, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, ERG theory4,8, and principles of Persuasive technology.3 Psychological frameworks like Positive psychology emphasize the identification and development of strengths, while Behavioral economics informs strategies to enhance decision-making. Ethical considerations, championed by figures like Tristan Harris, underscore the need for humane technology design that avoids manipulative practices. 3
Types and Components of User Empowerment[עריכה]
User empowerment involves enhancing abilities and skills, overcoming technical and content-related challenges in various life areas such as profession, family, hobbies, education, and leisure. It also addresses emotional experiences, helping individuals overcome fears, anxieties, and increasing motivation. This includes traits such as emotional regulation, proactivity, time management, and wisdom. Empowerment is typically a long-term process, with effects that persist even after interacting with a system, except in life-changing circumstances. 2
Methodology and Implementation[עריכה]
The User Empowering Design (UED) framework, developed by David Gallula, integrates empowerment principles into digital design by:
- Mapping Human Potential: Identifying users' strengths and areas for improvement.2
- Mapping Digital Product Opportunities: Recognizing product functions that can empower users.2
- Designing Empowerment Programs: Addressing gaps between current and potential capabilities with targeted interventions.2
Future Directions[עריכה]
The increasing integration of Artificial intelligence, Augmented reality, and the Metaverse highlights the growing importance of user empowerment. Researchers advocate for expanding its scope to include not just individual growth but also broader societal benefits.10
Further Reading[עריכה]
- Nielsen, J., & Norman, D. A. (1993). Usability Engineering. Morgan Kaufmann.
- Gallula, D.; Ronen, H.; Shichel, I.; & Katz, A. (2022). User Empowering Design: Expanding the Users’ Hierarchy of Needs. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer-Human Interaction Research and Applications - CHIRA.
- Fogg, B. J. (2003). Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do. Morgan Kaufmann.
- Alderfer, C. P. (1969). An empirical test of a new theory of human needs. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4(2), 142–175.
- Bihanic, D. (Ed.). (2015). Empowering Users through Design. Springer.
- Gallula, D., Frank, J. A. (2014). User Empowering Design. Proceedings of the 2014 European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics.
- Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.
- Perkins, D. D., & Zimmerman, M. A. (1995). Empowerment theory, research, and application. American Journal of Community Psychology, 23(5), 569–579.
- Shneiderman, B. (1990). Human values and the future of technology: a declaration of empowerment. Keynote address for ACM SIGCAS Conference: Computers and the Quality of Life.
- Shneiderman, B. (2020). Human-centered artificial intelligence: Three fresh ideas. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, 12(3), 109-124.
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