Jiali Zhao

Jiali Zhao is a master’s student in Design at Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, specializing in public health security governance and digital-intelligence technologies. Her master’s thesis focuses on a choice-based conjoint (CBC) study of digital nudge strategies for promoting physical activity. Using Sawtooth Software’s Lighthouse Studio, her research examines how individuals evaluate different digital nudges in the context of obesity prevention. Grounded in behavioral science and informed by a data-driven approach, the study explores the effectiveness of digital nudges in encouraging sustained physical activity.

Through CBC experiments, she develops highly realistic digital interfaces that incorporate nudges derived from the traditional MINDSPACE framework (e.g., messenger, incentive, norm) in their digital forms. This design enables a systematic investigation of user preferences across multiple nudge strategies and quantifies their relative influence on behavioral decisions. The findings provide empirical insights for tailoring digital nudges to specific audiences and offer practical guidance for designing scalable, cost-effective, and user-centered health interventions. Ultimately, the research bridges behavioral science and digital health practice, contributing to more effective strategies for sustaining physical activity and improving public health outcomes.