Apathetic Engagement: A Substantive Theory of New Zealand Contact Centres

PhD Research – Auckland University of Technology
Lead Researcher: Sean Hinton

Overview

This doctoral research examined how game-like elements in business information systems influence user motivation and engagement — particularly in high-pressure, metric-driven environments such as contact centres. The resulting substantive theory, Apathetic Engagement, explains why users sometimes disengage despite the presence of motivational systems, and how design strategies can be adapted to sustain engagement.

The research bridges Human-Centred Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Behavioural Economics, and Gamification, offering both academic contribution and practical business insights for system designers, UX practitioners, and organisational leaders.

My Role

  • Lead researcher responsible for project design, execution, and reporting.

  • Defined research goals, objectives, and key questions.

  • Conducted a comprehensive literature review and synthesised findings to establish theoretical grounding.

  • Engaged with both commercial and government organisations for data access and industry validation.

  • Applied qualitative and quantitative research techniques to capture rich, contextual data.

  • Transcribed, coded, and analysed data using Grounded Theory methods.

  • Presented findings at international and domestic conferences to academic and industry audiences.

Research Goals

  • Generate empirical evidence on how gamification functions in complex information systems.

  • Explain user behaviour patterns in systems designed to drive motivation.

  • Identify design levers to optimise engagement outcomes.

  • Contribute to the broader literature in UX research, game mechanics in enterprise software, and behavioural economics.

Methods

  • Grounded Theory (qualitative)

  • In-depth, semi-structured interviews

  • Constant comparison analysis

  • Theoretical and snowball sampling

  • Mixed-method integration for richer triangulation of insights

Outcomes & Deliverables

  • Substantive Theory – Apathetic Engagement: Explains disengagement triggers and outlines strategies to sustain motivation in gamified systems.

  • Industry Reports & Personas: Practical tools for applying findings to product and service design.

  • Academic Publications: Peer-reviewed contributions to the fields of HCI and Human-Centred Design.

  • Thesis: A full scholarly record of the research process and results.

Impact & Relevance to UX Practice

  • Informed design principles for enterprise and contact centre software used by large organisations in New Zealand.

  • Provided a framework for evaluating motivational systems, applicable to both commercial and public sector platforms.

  • Demonstrated expertise in complex, theory-driven research with practical application to product design and user experience.