{"id":1408,"slug":"rule-maximise-self-relevance-in-output","title":"R3 — Maximise self-relevance in the output: show the user's own number, not \"people like you average X\"; the personalization mechanism is the best-evidenced lever in the brief","kind":"rule","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["agency-methodology","customer-facing-tools","interactive-tool-mechanisms"],"reference_body":"**Rule:** Design the tool's output so it is **maximally self-relevant**: surface the **user's own number** computed from the **user's own inputs**, not a generic \"average customer like you sees X\" framing.\n\n**Why:** Personalization is the **best-evidenced mechanism** in the brief — Symons-Johnson 1997 ([[symons-johnson-1997-self-reference-meta]]), Svensson 2022 ([[svensson-2022-self-relevance-attention]]), Tam-Ho 2006 ([[tam-ho-2006-web-personalization-mediation]]), De Keyzer 2025 ([[de-keyzer-2025-personalized-advertising-meta]]) — *actual* personalization (computed from real input) outperforms *hypothetical* / scenario personalization via stronger self-referencing.\n\n**How to apply:**\n- Result page leads with \"**Your estimate: $X**,\" not \"Customers your size typically see $X.\"\n- When confidence intervals are appropriate (per the calculator brief's [[rule-treat-public-numbers-as-anchors]]), still anchor on the user's number first, range second.\n- Avoid hypothetical / second-person-plural framings that dilute self-reference.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"rule-qualify-every-metric-with-decision-and-threshold","title":"R1 — Before building any dashboard, qualify every proposed metric: named owner + named decision + action threshold; if it fails the \"what would I do if it moved?\" test, drop it","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"symons-johnson-1997-self-reference-meta","title":"Symons & Johnson (1997) meta-analysis — self-reference effect: information encoded in relation to the self is better recalled; the self is a well-developed elaboration construct","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"svensson-2022-self-relevance-attention","title":"Svensson et al. (2022), Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology — self-relevance modulates attentional processing (narrowing of visual attention / executive control) even for arbitrary stimuli","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"tam-ho-2006-web-personalization-mediation","title":"Tam & Ho (2006), Information Systems Research — content relevance + self-reference mediate the effect of web personalization on attention, processing, decisions; users clicked self-referent offers far more","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"de-keyzer-2025-personalized-advertising-meta","title":"De Keyzer et al. (2025), Journal of Advertising — meta-analysis: actual personalization outperforms imagined / scenario personalization via stronger self-referencing and perceived relevance","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-interactive-tool-mechanisms-smb-june-2026","title":"Research brief: why interactive tools deepen a business's relationship with its audience — a mechanism-level research package (June 2026)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"article-the-number-does-the-talking-why-tool-beats-brochure","title":"Article (draft): The number does the talking — why a working tool beats a brochure every time","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"rule-support-agency-and-competence-not-choice-overload","title":"R3 — Support agency + competence (2-4 meaningful choices + positive contextual feedback); avoid choice overload and frustration; let the user DO the work","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"rule-make-user-generate-not-just-pick","title":"R4 — Where appropriate, make the user GENERATE inputs (not just pick from menus) — the generation effect d≈0.40 is real but ceilings beyond ~900 words and doesn't scale to expository text","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-20T18:18:57.600Z","updated_at":"2026-06-20T18:18:57.600Z"}