Analysis of User Classifiers for Personalization of Environmental Decision Support System Interfaces

Consumers in current society have become increasingly concerned with the negative impacts their products purchased have on both their individual health and the natural environment. However, consumers have received very little support in their attempt to adopt more eco-effective purchasing habits. There exist environmental decision support systems (EDSS) that allow consumers compare alternatives. However, current EDSS do little to enhance the consumers experience while interacting with the system thus limiting the positive impacts possible. Correct classification of users in terms of their values may help personalize each user's view thus make their experience of searching product information more satisfying. This paper discusses common user classification techniques that could be used in classifying EDSS users with the purpose of constructing personalized EDSS user interfaces. A deeper analysis of a classification technique implemented using rough set theory is discussed. INTRODUCTION In current societal thought there is an elevated yearning to achieve sustainable practices in our everyday decision-making (OECD, 2002). However, in our attempts to formulate more eco-effective decisions when purchasing commonly consumed products, e.g. household cleaning products, we are often left on our own to decide which products are best for us. Knowing what features we require in our product choices, e.g. recyclable packaging or price, helps us formulate these decisions. However, alternatives with fewer impacts, such as cradle-to-cradle products (McDonough and Braungart, 2002), that may exist and be overlooked given the obscurity of relevant product information. It is clear that an environmental decision support system (EDSS) that allows system users compare alternatives would greatly increase adoption of more sustainable and eco-effective purchasing habits. However, current EDSS do little to enhance the user’s experience while interacting with the system thus limiting the positive impacts possible. 1 The term eco-effective refers to the concept of producing and consuming products that have a positive and lasting effect on our health and the environment, e.g. a 100% biodegradable fabric, in comparison to eco-efficient products which have a positive, but limiting effect on our health and the environment, e.g. a recyclable plastic bottle (McDonough and Braungart, 2002). 2 Cradle-to-cradle products refer to products that are eco-effective. Types of these products have a positive and lasting impact on our health and natural environment (see footnote 1 for an example).