Psychology of Interactive Technology Training Hits North America

Toronto, Ontario – AlterSpark Corp., a digital research and marketing agency, has announced the launch of their North American tour in which they will be conducting training on the psychology of interactive design in cities across Canada and the United States throughout 2014. The first leg of the tour kicks off in Ottawa, before moving on to Vancouver, Waterloo, and Toronto. AlterSpark will announce their US training dates in early 2014.

“Within our digitally connected world, there is a growing realization that online success is not just about technology,” said Brian Cugelman, PhD, the Director of AlterSpark and course developer. “Rather it’s about something more fundamental: it’s about leveraging technology in a way that is compatible with how people think and behave.”

Given the central role of technology in the daily lives of people around the world, participants of AlterSpark’s training learn how the science of persuasive psychology operates in interactive environments, such as websites, social media, mobile apps, and online advertising. Dr. Cugelman has formulated courses that are science-based, but, crucially, he has spent several years translated the science of what works into a format that is easy to understand and apply.

During the training program, thanks to simple visual examples and hands-on exercises, participants learn to design more engaging digital technologies through participation in presentations, along with visual case studies, innovative exercises, and group analysis of the world’s most persuasive online platforms. The curriculum is relevant to digital media specialists who work with end users, customers, the public, constituents, or at-risk population, with particular relevance to interactive designers, UI/UX specialists, online marketers, product managers, and health promotion communicators or technologists.

Three courses are offered: a one-day crash course that covers the core principles of persuasive design; a two-day workshop that provides a solid learning experience for all kinds of professionals including web designers and UI/UX specialists; a two-day health training course that covers the science of interactive health behaviour change technology.

Since publishing his research in JMIR, the world’s top scientific journal in his field, Dr. Cugelman has received a steady stream of interest from organizations and training participants, including all levels of the Canadian government, banks, digital media agencies, telecommunications companies, non-profit organizations, public health officials, and even the Pentagon, which asked Dr. Cugelman to present his research in how digital technology can positively shape how people think and behave.