Technology can and will change our behavior. Sometimes the  changes are involuntary and other times the change is planned and intended. If we look at improving the functions of buildings we generally think of the latest technology as a means to that improvement. However, we tend to overvalue the role of the technology and undervalue the re-engineering or changes in the operational processes. The true value of technology for facility management is changes in their processes that support higher organizational goals related to costs, effectiveness and efficiency.  

Here are a few examples of smart devices for individuals that utilize automation technology to change, control and adapt one's behavior, and demonstrate the relationship between technology, behavior and performance.

The Smart Fork -Think of all the problems that eating too  fast leads to: overeating, indigestion and heartburn, etc. We need to slow down. The smart fork changes your behavior by monitoring how fast you're eating and alerting you to slow down via an indicator on the fork. The company producing the fork is HAPIfork. One of its patents involves the measurement of the time from hand to mouth. Of course there's a product app to track a person's eating performance via "fork servings" per minute as well as intervals between "fork servings".

Click here to read more about applications and devices that change behavior and what this means for building operations.