Feedback loops are important ways to consume information, but are they necessary? What’s the best way to get what you want without the hassle of effortfully and repeatedly asking for it?
The good thing about feedback loops is that they are fun. Each is set up as a “reverse question” based on the focus of your needs, so you simply walk up to the machine and comment on the results. This typically creates a nice conversation and gets the ball rolling on the path to your desired information.
Feedback loops provide an interaction between your desire to know something, and the machine which provides the answer. Since they only require interaction with the machine to reveal results, they are a quick and direct way to have a conversation with an external system.
Feedback Loops on Food
Take, for example, a feedback loop set up on food. Food tends to be very compact, consisting of a few ingredients to the service, and more often than not, no label to help you figure out the mixture and with the end product.
From the Food Loops video at Top of The World, this is one of the best feedback loops set up I have seen to help with food. All the ingredients are displayed as individually (reducing the load on the screen) and can be quickly compared with the finished product. From this interaction the user then enters feedback on their success with the food.
While all these parts are moving toward some point, the user can ask some other questions such as the number of cals, the sugar content, etc.
Feedback Loops on Technology
Shared feedback loops on technology are also a good idea, but there are lots of reasons not to use them. The interaction with the external device is typically rather limited, even with the most advanced of machines. In this case, you will need to be a little creative with your feedback questions.
For example, if the system wants to demonstrate responsiveness or remember a request, perhaps a single question might work, such as:
So just let the machine do its job. What’s your experience with this machine so far, and what do you like and dislike? And will you keep using this machine again and again?
It’s easy to reply without making it all too difficult for the computer to answer questions.
Feedback Loops on Health
Health feedback loops usually have a three-way interaction between the user, the system, and the external device. This is especially helpful in programs such as medical apps where both the patients and the apps need to be very careful not to give bad information.
What’s more, feedback loops on health can be used to identify problems early on in a program’s development so any issues or bugs can be worked out right away, rather than just in the late stage when it is too late to have any beneficial impact.
For example, monitoring a patient’s blood pressure can sometimes be a guessing game, and it takes time for a machine to be able to figure out if something is wrong, and tell the app.
This kind of feedback loop needs to be done in a short time span in order to get the best results possible.
Feedback Loops on Public Safety
Feedback loops on public safety can help to prevent accidents and save lives. A conversation can be set up that gets the perspective of other users, the same time providing answers and help to first responders.
A system can have a system wide feedback loop so that everyone can chime in, similar to a Reddit and Twitter integration. First responders could get direct help from first responder responders in other places with feedback loops.
To quote the YouTube comment from the page at Top of the World, “Another useful feedback loop for safety is a quick conversation in the middle of an active crime scene.”
One has to wonder if there is a limit to how long this kind of feedback loop could provide assistance, but with enough attention to detail, this could really be a powerful tool.