Back on the topic of making health fun (which we’ve been thinking of as life optimization), I ran across this article over at Technology Review about taking all those photos parents take of baby and making them useful. Basically the software asks parents to log milestones along with photos as a way to track development. As the article describes:
Researchers found that parents who used the program recorded nearly twice as many of these milestones as those who used a basic medical record-logging program instead. Pediatricians urge parents to monitor these milestones so they can be aware of early warning signs of developmental disorders, like autism or deafness.
But this was the real kicker for me: “Making medical record keeping more fun and less medical actually motivates people and can have positive influences.” Exactly!
part of making health more fun in this case, and especially nowadays, is sharing. while developing the social media strategy for a hospital’s women’s center last year, I found that some hospitals have online photo galleries, so mommies can share photos with relatives and friends. Our365.com actually specializes in providing photo services to hospitals.
but more broadly, I’m fascinated by role that GE Adventure enables advertisers (i.e. yalls) to play – namely that of experiencers. along with simply discussing a product/service with a brand in order to develop a marketing strategy, you’re quite literally *experiencing* the product/service/brand, oftentimes in ways that most consumers don’t get to, and using your first-hand experiences to develop a marketing strategy. I find that a much more sincere (and fun!) place from which to strategize. and indeed, it sounds like quite an Adventure…
on the ‘making health fun’ tip, famous interactive video artist (and coincidentally former housemate of mine) Scott Snibbe is doing some pretty beautiful things with interactive visualizations of the body. specifically 3 interactive exhibits for Exhibition Health in Denver:
http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=0016xu4-nrjQJcl7P_kt9plnKIUm3Qj6sgj_oaH0s2TbuJddeGlzMadE_AzTsH1NR653ohXsIKMNx2pphOsHVAxNmZri1aYVEmOrS91ZoL4uDvqutz8iY63veIS7oGXPcDdcor9iO3nn6B-RtRFGZFafz49ukRAj6kKOD3F4Z5jj3uNi6MyzoHMXuUNtGgiLmTbdDbaoAyHIzrryZClD-MZag%3D%3D
(atrocious-looking link, I know, but check it…)