Getting Started in the Correct Stage: Designing Conversational Strategies for Proactive On-boarding in a Conversational Agent
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-05-28
Pages
13
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of different conversational strategies on retention rates and system trust in behavior change interventions delivered through a conversational agent (CA). Utilizing a between-subject experiment with three distinct conversational strategies, namely Control, Empathetic, and Extended Conversation, we aimed to assess their effectiveness in on-boarding users and facilitating stage assessment within a physical activity behavior change intervention. Thirty participants across the three strategies engaged in a 5-day experiment, providing categorical data on stage assessment accuracy and trust scores, complemented by qualitative insights from post-interaction interviews. Statistical analyses, including Chi-squared tests and qualitative synthesis, revealed nuanced findings. While no significant differences were observed in perceived effectiveness among the strategies, interviews unveiled critical features for enhancing user engagement, such as clearer prompts, personalized interactions, and a balanced approach to human-likeness in CA responses. Despite encountering challenges like low retention rates and technical issues, our study underscores the potential of CA-based behavior change interventions, contingent upon addressing user preferences and refining CA design. Moving forward, integrating user-centered design principles and conducting further research will be pivotal in harnessing the full potential of CAs to drive positive health outcomes through physical behavior change interventions.
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