Understanding how designing physical data visualisations can influence behaviour change: A case study on consumer food waste reduction in Australia

Abstract

Data visualisations from physical self-trackers have been studied as persuasive tools for behaviour change by encouraging reflection and action. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a longitudinal nine-week study among 30 households in Australia (104 participants with a control group) using data visualisations from physical self-trackers to reduce food waste. The study focused on households with working parents and their children, identified as the primary contributors to food waste. Combining theories of consumer behaviour psychology, interaction design and data humanism to form the basis of the research methodology, participants were given visual nudges and information to encourage food-saving behaviours, and physical self-trackers to visualise and share their actions. Results were triangulated through content and thematic analysis, and paired samples frequency comparison to provide comprehensive insights. The group with access to the probe was able to sustain newly formed habits for a longer duration compared to the control group. Creating their own methods of encoding data enabled agency, holding households accountable for their own actions and facilitating a deeper understanding of their own unique dynamics and collective behaviours that lead to food waste. Furthermore, the social and physical aspects of the study emerged as the most influential factors in driving long-term behaviour change.