ambience...



Having access to tangible information can really change our mental concept of a product and system, and subsequently change how we behave.
Most hybrid car owners know that seeing their fuel consumption in real time changes the way you drive.  Seeing how your driving modulates mileage gives you immediate control and influence over the goal of reducing consumption.
This picture was taken in near Mount Rainier in Washington, showing how coming out of the mountains I was achieving 60+ mpg in my Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Abstracting this to any product design problem...It is fun and thought provoking to apply this observation to other products...home energy use, water consumption, how many vertical feet I am skiing, my coffee use... What information about a 'system' could help empower a users' real goals?  The principles for this information display may be:

Ambient:  This is secondary information to the core operation of the device.  In this case driving.  It should be visible, glance-able, but not detract or add complexity to the primary use of the product.
Goal oriented:  In my car, I want to reduce fuel use, but I also want accomplishments. (thus the picture)  So, this product could be improved by allowing me to post a screen shot, or my progress to my friends, social feeds...or contests.
Controllable: It would be frustrating if this goal oriented information could not be affected by the user.  In this case if the information sample came every ten minutes it would not have a very clear cause and effect relationship with my driving.

This goes beyond minute by minute hypermiling.   For example, I discovered a 10 mpg difference in the fuel consumption on one route I take to work versus another, slightly faster one.  So, if I have time...I now have a tangible option for saving fuel/carbon/money.
  
I am left with a big car question though...why is this only hybrids?  The goal of saving fuel may be even more salient to a Hummer driver!