Modelling Users for User Modelling: Dynamic Personas for Improved Personalisation in Digital Behaviour Change
Igor Matias1, Farhat -ul-Ain2, Darina Akhmetzyanova2, and Vladimir Tomberg2
1Quality of Life Technologies Lab, University of Geneva, Switzerland
2Tallinn University, Estonia
| Abstract: Behaviour change, crucial in health interventions, demands an understanding of the end user’s psychological, social, and environmental contexts, often overlooked in user modelling. This paper advocates integrating behaviour change theories into user models to improve personalisation based on individual characteristics. We introduce a novel, enriched with psychological theories, framework for using dynamic user Personas within Digital Behaviour Change Interventions, allowing adaptation to evolving user behaviours and preferences. The dynamic user Personas offer a detailed representation that accounts for the complex stages of behavioural change and COM-B patterns. We also explore the transition in user modelling from expert-driven to data-driven methods, highlighting the importance of acknowledging both interpersonal and intrapersonal variations in user behaviours. Our proposed semi-automated system model merges these modelling methods, enhancing personalisation in health interventions by addressing human behavioural complexities. Additionally, we discuss the ethical and privacy issues involved, ensuring responsible and secure data management. In conclusion, our approach conceptually links behaviour change, interaction design, and user modelling, setting a foundation for further empirical research and digital health applications.
In 32nd (2024) ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (UMAP) – HUMAD workshop