{"id":129,"date":"2021-01-31T12:11:31","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T12:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/?p=129"},"modified":"2021-02-14T22:05:48","modified_gmt":"2021-02-14T22:05:48","slug":"apps-and-humans-1-personality-traits-of-our-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/apps-and-humans-1-personality-traits-of-our-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Apps &#038; Humans #1: Personality traits of our software"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cApps &amp; Humans\u201d is a series of posts that explore the \u201csymbiosis\u201d between humans and apps, with the purpose of <strong>identifying patterns that we can apply in our workplace interactions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-subtle-background-background-color has-background\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> I use the term \u201capps\u201d in a broad sense: mobile apps, desktop apps, websites and other software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If apps were humans, what personality traits would they have?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/defrag_sessions.png\" alt=\"My psychologist said that I have ADHDD and recommended more defrag sessions.\" class=\"wp-image-131\" width=\"600\" height=\"213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/defrag_sessions.png 800w, https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/defrag_sessions-300x107.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/defrag_sessions-768x273.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption>ADHDD<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For this experiment, I will be using the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Big_Five_personality_traits\">Big Five personality traits<\/a> (a.k.a. the \u201cOCEAN\u201d model) to <strong>reframe several behaviors of our apps in the context of human personality<\/strong>. This may provide insights into how our own personalities can promote frictionless interactions, just like well-designed apps do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Openness to experience: inventive\/curious vs. consistent\/cautious<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u201cO\u201d in \u201cOCEAN\u201d stands for <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Openness_to_experience\">openness to experience<\/a> and it is about the <strong>willingness to explore new ideas<\/strong> and <strong>seeking out new experiences<\/strong>. It is correlated with <strong>intelligence, knowledge, creativity and artistic interest<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apps that \u201cscore high\u201d in openness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Can <strong>produce content<\/strong> by themselves: AI-powered apps, music creation apps and plugins, games that generate levels automatically.<\/li><li>Can be trained to r<strong>ecognize patterns<\/strong> with AI or by mathematical \/ statistical means: medical software, data mining tools.<\/li><li>Support a <strong>wide range of file formats<\/strong>: word processors, movie players.<\/li><li>Are a hub for <strong>user-generated content<\/strong>: social media apps, blogging and vlogging platforms.<\/li><li>Allow the user to be <strong>creative<\/strong> within the context of the app: games where player\u2019s choices influence the gameplay for them and other users.<\/li><li>Can be <strong>customized<\/strong> with themes, plugins (addons) or some even allow source code modification: web browsers extensions, plugins for blogging platforms, games which allow mods.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conscientiousness: efficient\/organized vs. extravagant\/careless<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Conscientiousness\">Conscientiousness<\/a> is the trait of <strong>hard work, reliability, of respecting rules and commitments<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I dare say that apps surpass humans in their ability to persevere and follow rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carefully designed apps can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Have user interfaces that are intuitively <strong>organized<\/strong>: streaming apps, modern tools.<\/li><li>Remind us of tasks we need to take care of: calendars.<\/li><li>Run <strong>automated<\/strong> tests to prove the quality of hardware and software: benchmark apps, QA automation tools.<\/li><li>Process large amounts of data <strong>without making mistakes<\/strong>: database tools.<\/li><li>Make us more productive by handling <strong>repetitive tasks<\/strong>: tools that allow executing scripting languages.<\/li><li>Produce <strong>predictable outputs<\/strong>: virtually any application.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Extraversion: outgoing\/energetic vs. solitary\/reserved<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Extraversion_and_introversion\">extraversion<\/a> trait deals with <strong>enthusiasm<\/strong> and <strong>assertiveness<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Extraverts<\/strong> tend to be <strong>energized<\/strong> by human interactions, while <strong>introverts<\/strong> are perceived as being more <strong>reserved<\/strong> and <strong>reflective<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apps provide desirable traits from <strong>both introverts and extraverts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>On the extraverted side, they can be <strong>entertaining<\/strong>, <strong>assertive<\/strong> and can usually do <strong>multiple things at once<\/strong>: games, streaming apps.<\/li><li>The introverted qualities of apps include the ability to <strong>work in solitude<\/strong> for long periods of time, <strong>lack of impulsivity<\/strong> and accurate <strong>reflective<\/strong> access to resources: data migration tools, benchmark software.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Agreeableness: friendly\/compassionate vs. challenging\/callous<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People with high degrees of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Agreeableness\">agreeableness<\/a> are perceived as <strong>kind<\/strong>, <strong>warm<\/strong>, <strong>cooperative<\/strong> and <strong>conciliatory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless intentionally designed otherwise, most apps tend to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Display <strong>polite or friendly messages<\/strong>.<\/li><li><strong>Cooperate<\/strong> with users and other applications.<\/li><li>Be <strong>compliant<\/strong> with rules.<\/li><li>Have <strong>no competitive, nor conflict-generating behavior<\/strong> towards the user.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Neuroticism: sensitive\/nervous vs. resilient\/confident<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neuroticism\">Neuroticism<\/a> is a measure of <strong>sensitivity to negative emotions <\/strong>like <strong>anger<\/strong>, <strong>fear<\/strong> and <strong>anxiety<\/strong>. People with <strong>low levels of neuroticism<\/strong> have the ability to remain <strong>calm<\/strong> under pressure and have <strong>fewer mood swings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The apps world is rather calm, as they:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Are <strong>immune to psychological stress.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Don\u2019t get angry, sad or depressed<\/strong>.<\/li><li>Can \u201c<strong>delay gratification<\/strong>\u201d indefinitely.<\/li><li>Are programmed to display healthy amounts of <strong>\u201cworry\u201d<\/strong>: e.g. asking users prior to deleting files or alerting when available storage space is running out.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Your Sound Card Works Perfectly - Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/slTHHXWNG4Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Testing the sound card in Warcraft II, a popular game in 1995<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusions and recommendations<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>From sending emails to making hotel reservations, there is an app for virtually anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their \u201cpersonality\u201d makes them <strong>customizable<\/strong>, <strong>efficient<\/strong>, <strong>engaging<\/strong>, <strong>cooperative<\/strong> and <strong>resilient<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We can choose to bring some of these qualities into our workplace and enjoy the benefits of smooth collaborations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Materials<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Big_Five_personality_traits\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Big_Five_personality_traits<\/a> &#8211; Wikipedia article about Big Five Personality traits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.16personalities.com\/\">https:\/\/www.16personalities.com\/<\/a> &#8211; (Free\/Paid) Personality assessment website. My understanding is that they combine an adapted version of the Big Five Personality Traits with the acronym format introduced by <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Myers%E2%80%93Briggs_Type_Indicator\">Myers-Briggs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.understandmyself.com\/\">https:\/\/www.understandmyself.com\/<\/a> &#8211; (Paid) Personality assessment website created by a team of psychologists including Dr. Jordan Peterson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-subtle-background-background-color has-background\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> I am not affiliated with these businesses. I have personally tried both tests and found the results to be reasonably accurate for me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cApps &amp; Humans\u201d is a series of posts that explore the \u201csymbiosis\u201d between humans and apps, with the purpose of identifying patterns that we can apply in our workplace interactions. Note: I use the term \u201capps\u201d in a broad sense: mobile apps, desktop apps, websites and other software. If apps were humans, what personality traits [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,3],"tags":[18,17,21,19],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167,"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129\/revisions\/167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.balancecrafters.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}