The control pattern
Data asset
User-context data
Knobs
Relevance, Recency, Consent, Retention, Risk profile and horizon, Portfolio exposure
Outcome
More useful responses for the individual user
Measurement
See how to measure this below
What it is
Personalisation changes which facts and insights are emphasised for a particular user. The data asset is user-context data; the knobs determine which context is relevant, how recent it must be, how long it is retained, and whether the user consented to its use.
Good personalisation does not change objective facts. It changes prioritisation, explanation and presentation. The same earnings report may matter differently to a long-term shareholder, a short-term options trader, or someone considering a first position.
Store the minimum context needed, apply expiration rules, and keep user-provided facts separate from model inferences.
The knobs in detail
Each row is one adjustable property of the data asset, and what moving it tends to do.
| Knob | What you adjust | Likely effect |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | Which context applies to this question | Prevents irrelevant tailoring |
| Recency | How current the context must be | Stops stale profiles driving answers |
| Consent | What the user agreed to | Determines what may be used at all |
| Retention | How long context is kept | Limits accumulation of sensitive detail |
| Risk profile and horizon | Stated tolerance and time frame | Changes emphasis, not facts |
| Portfolio exposure | Holdings and concentration | Surfaces correlation risk across positions |
Applied: Stocks Assistant
For Stocks Assistant, useful context includes holdings, position sizes, cost basis when supplied, investment horizon, risk tolerance, income versus growth objective, sector concentration and notification preferences. A portfolio owner with heavy semiconductor exposure may need a correlation and concentration warning even if each holding looks attractive in isolation. A dividend-focused user may care more about cash-flow coverage and capital allocation than near-term price momentum. The assistant should show which profile settings affected the result and let the user change or disable them.
How to measure it
Evidence that the knob produced the intended behaviour, rather than shifting the problem elsewhere.
- Usefulness and consistency of tailored results
- Override rate : how often users correct the tailoring
- Whether users understand why a result was personalised
- Share of features operating on minimised context
Common mistakes
Silently inferring sensitive financial circumstances, or converting weak behavioural signals into permanent traits.
Implying that suitability has been established when important financial information is absent.