Are You Using a Feedback Loop To Drive Engagement?

Feedback loops are the missing link in driving meaningful environmental and social change. Let me explain.

Imagine you want to reduce pollution flowing into the Great Barrier Reef. The primary sources are fertilizer and soil runoff from nearby sugar plantations. But how do you know where the pollution is coming from, which areas are the worst offenders, and how to alert farmers or authorities when pollution levels spike? What you need is a feedback loop.

What is a Feedback Loop?

A feedback loop is a concept from cybernetics and systems theory. It’s a dynamic process that collects data, communicates it, and encourages behavior changes based on the insights. Think about a Fitbit: it tracks your steps, sends the data to an app, and provides real-time feedback to help you adjust your activity. That’s a feedback loop in action—data flows from your actions to a system and back to you, enabling immediate improvements.

Building an Environmental Feedback Loop

Creating a feedback loop requires two essential components:

1. Data: Continuous, real-time measurement of the key metrics you’re trying to influence.
2. Communication: An effective way to deliver this data to the right people at the right time.

For the Great Barrier Reef, you could deploy a network of floating buoys equipped with pollution sensors. These buoys would transmit real-time data through mobile networks to a central server, giving you a constant stream of information about pollution levels. With this infrastructure, you’d have the insights needed to make informed, timely interventions.

The Power of Measurement

Bill Gates emphasized this in his 2013 letter for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: “You can achieve amazing progress if you set a clear goal and find a measure that will drive progress toward that goal. This may seem pretty basic, but it is amazing to me how often it is not done.”

A robust feedback loop not only provides clarity but also allows you to act with precision. It’s the foundation for integrating gamification techniques like color coding, star ratings, leaderboards, and heat maps—all of which enhance engagement and motivation. For tips on implementing gamification, check out my course, Save the World with Gamification.

Tools and Resources for Feedback Loops

• Books:
  1. Thinking in Systems: A Primer by Donella Meadows
  2. Systems Thinking for Social Change by David Peter Stroh
• DIY Hardware: Learn how to build electronic feedback loops in my article on hardware hacking.

Why Feedback Loops Work

Feedback loops are underutilized in environmental causes but have proven successful in other areas:

• Energy Monitoring: A review of 38 studies showed feedback reduced energy consumption by 10%.
• Recycling: Feedback signs increased recycled paper by 77% and recycled cans by 65%.
• Speeding: Speed displays reduced school zone speeding by 14%, with effects lasting miles down the road.
• Water Conservation: Real-time feedback on water usage cut consumption by 75%.
• Exercise: Fitbit users increased weekly exercise by 38 minutes and added an average of 789 steps per day.

The Future of Environmental Feedback Loops

With advances in sensors, satellites, and drones, creating feedback loops for environmental causes has never been more achievable. Rebecca Moore of Google Earth described the vision as a “living, breathing dashboard for the planet,” where real-time data drives actionable insights.

Get Started

Ask yourself: Do you know the key metrics for your cause? Is your data updated in real-time? Are you using this data to inform your strategy and engage your community?

If not, it’s time to build a feedback loop. Whether you’re tackling pollution, energy use, or water conservation, feedback loops provide the clarity and motivation needed to drive change. Post your ideas in our Facebook group, and let’s brainstorm how to make your feedback loop a reality. Together, we can transform environmental action with the power of real-time data and dynamic communication.

References:

1. Darby, S. (2001). Making it obvious: Designing feedback into energy consumption. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-642-56531-1_73

2. Katzev, R. & Mishima, H.R. (1992). The use of posted feedback to promote recycling. Psychological Reports, 71(1), 259-264. http://prx.sagepub.com/content/71/1/259.full.pdf

3. Larson, M. E., Houlihan, D., & Goernert, P. N. (1995). Brief report: Effects of informational feedback on aluminum can recycling. Behavioral Interventions, 10: 111-117.

4. Harnessing the Power of Feedback Loops, Thomas Goetz, Wired Magazine http://www.wired.com/2011/06/ff_feedbackloop/

5. Feedback loops are changing health behavior, Lori Mehen, https://opensource.com/health/11/8/feedback-loops-are-changing-health-behavior  Teague Design  http://www.teague.com

6. Randomized Trial of a Fitbit-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Women, http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(15)00044-6/abstract

‍