Know Me / Nudge Me

Most people are still careful to protect their personal information, but more and more of us are choosing to store our most intimate details online: financial information, health records, personal preferences, and even our schedules and location. This is not because we are more trusting, but because sharing information unlocks access to personalized services that support us in meaningful ways.

Services such as Flickr, Facebook, and Mint have created platforms to collect personal information and, in turn, have built value around their customers’ willingness to provide it. Netflix asks for direct input in exchange for personal recommendations, but the Toyota Prius works in the background, unobtrusively capturing our driving behavior and playing it back to us. Building on the power of information, these services can transform unintended consequences into intentional change.

As people share more, their expectations are evolving from archiving services to personalized services that adapt to them, and even anticipatory services that nudge them in positive ways. This has resulted in services that capture people’s history, filter their information, and turn it into tailored recommendations, options, alerts, and connections.

More from IDEO