Design

Self-trackers have been the subject of much research aimed at designing them on the basis of principles with theoretical foundations. In that respect, different psychological theories have been applied. In addition to the quantitative measurement of activities (sleeping, walking, eating, etc.), many of the principles drawn from these theories are directed towards behaviour changes in order to prompt or encourage individuals to adopt behaviours that are virtuous for their health. However, this perspective raises a host of questions about the “prescriptive impact” of principles-based systems: do they not effectively risk imposing designer-defined behavioural “norms”, leading to a form of social standardisation of behaviour? In other words, are they not, at the more individual level, likely to “subjugate” users? What “room to manoeuvre” do these users have with regard to these standards?