Displaying data is not enough: Incorporating User Behavior Transformation in domestic reporting systems

Abstract Studies have shown that aspects relating to user behavior play a decisive role in energy consumption reduction, namely in the residential sector, it is expected that domestic reporting systems will elicit user support in identifying sources of inefficient energy usage, leading them to identify and implement both preventive and corrective actions. However, these systems have shortcomings in features encouraging User Behavior Transformation (UBT); how to design domestic reporting user interfaces in a way that effectively triggers UBT still remains an open issue. This article discusses relevant aspects of UBT and analyzes related work in the area, identifying a set of design principles to be applied when developing user interfaces towards residential energy consumers. A thorough evaluation of UBT-enabling design dimensions of current solutions for the domestic sector is undertaken and our conclusions reinforce that these systems still fall behind in addressing UBT, namely when considering social dimensions.

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