The Effects of Adding Motivational Elements to User Instructions

N.R. Loorbach; Joyce Karreman; M.F. Steehouder

doi:10.1109/IPCC.2007.4464078

The Effects of Adding Motivational Elements to User Instructions

N.R. Loorbach, Joyce Karreman, M.F. Steehouder

Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper

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Abstract

This paper gives an overview of three studies that we conducted to investigate the effects of motivational elements in user instructions. We tested for effects on usability, in particular on task effectiveness, task efficiency and user satisfaction. Motivational elements are textual additions or modifications to user instructions with the aim of motivating the reader, without changing the content of the actual instructions. The results of our studies showed that supplying motivation in user instructions can positively affect usability, but the presence of these effects seems to depend on the task at hand and on the characteristics of the user group. Our upcoming studies will focus on reading-to-do situations and on users with low confidence levels.

Original language	Undefined
Pages	1-5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/IPCC.2007.4464078
Publication status	Published - 2007
Event	IEEE International Professional Communication Conference, IPCC 2007 - Seattle, United States Duration: 1 Oct 2007 → 3 Oct 2007

Conference

Conference	IEEE International Professional Communication Conference, IPCC 2007
Abbreviated title	IPCC
Country/Territory	United States
City	Seattle
Period	1/10/07 → 3/10/07

Keywords

IR-59029

Access to Document

10.1109/IPCC.2007.4464078

Loorbach07effects

Cite this

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title = "The Effects of Adding Motivational Elements to User Instructions",

abstract = "This paper gives an overview of three studies that we conducted to investigate the effects of motivational elements in user instructions. We tested for effects on usability, in particular on task effectiveness, task efficiency and user satisfaction. Motivational elements are textual additions or modifications to user instructions with the aim of motivating the reader, without changing the content of the actual instructions. The results of our studies showed that supplying motivation in user instructions can positively affect usability, but the presence of these effects seems to depend on the task at hand and on the characteristics of the user group. Our upcoming studies will focus on reading-to-do situations and on users with low confidence levels.",

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