book

Designing for Behavior Change

by Stephen Wendel

November 2013

Intermediate to advanced

391 pages

10h 1m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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What Does It Mean to Design for Behavior Change?The “Design” Part of Designing for Behavior ChangeDesigning for Behavior Change in an Agile or Lean WorldWho This Book Is ForCombining Research, Data, and Product ExpertiseWhat Do You Need to Know to Benefit from This Book?What Types of Behaviors Can This Help With?What This Book Is Not AboutBehavior Change and the Dark ArtsThe Dark Arts are Similar……But Not IdenticalAnd Hopefully, This is More SustainableHow This Book Came AboutThe Chapters AheadLet’s TalkAcknowledgmentsResearch and Inspiration
The Deliberative and Intuitive MindMaking Sense of the MindMost of the Time, We’re Not Actually “Choosing” What to Do NextOur Prior Experiences Guide Our Intuitive Reactions and Behavior, Without Us Necessarily Knowing ItHabits Drive Intuitive Behaviors in Predictable WaysHow We Respond and Interact with the World Is MalleableEven When We “Choose,” Our Minds Save WorkWe Find Easier ProblemsOur Peers Provide AnswersOur Mental Resources Are Sorely LimitedThe Obvious, Simple Stuff Is Really ImportantA Map of the Decision-Making ProcessOn a Napkin
A Simple Model of When, and Why, We ActCueReactionEvaluationAbilityTimingThe Create Action FunnelEach Stage Is RelativeEach Stage Is PersonalThe Stages Can Interact with One AnotherThe Funnel Repeats Each Time the Person ActsEach Time Through the Funnel Is DifferentOn a Napkin
A Decision or a Reaction: Three Strategies to Change BehaviorStrategy 1: Cheat!Strategies to Cheat at One-Time ActionsDefault ItMake It IncidentalStrategies to Cheat at Repeated ActionsAutomate the Act of RepetitionBut Isn’t Cheating Well, Cheating?Cheating at the Action FunnelStrategy 2: Make or Change HabitsHabits Simplify BehaviorHow to Build ThemChanging Existing HabitsOption 1: Help the Person Avoid the CUEOption 2: Change the Habit into Something ElseOption 3: Use Conscious InterferenceOption 4: Use MindfulnessOption 5: Crowding Out Old HabitsStrategy 3: Support the Conscious ActionA Recap of the Three StrategiesOn a Napkin
Start with the Product VisionNail Down the Target OutcomeClarify the OutcomeAvoid States of MindOther Ways to Arrive at a Definition of OutcomesPrioritize and CombineAvoid Stating How the Product (Might) Do ItWhy Go Through the Trouble?What if No One can Agree On the Product’s Intended Outcome?Working with Company-Centric GoalsState the VisionState the Company’s ObjectivesDefine the User OutcomesIdentify Additional ConstraintsGenerate a List of Possible Actions for Users to TakeClarify Each ActionTechniques for Generating IdeasLook for the Minimum Viable Action in Each CaseExamples from Various DomainsOn a Napkin
Research Your Target UsersWho Are the Target Users?How Do the People Behave in Daily Life?How Do the People Behave in the Application?Generate PersonasRepeat the Process for Each Potential ActionTwo Techniques for Generating ThemSelect the Ideal Target ActionDefine Success and FailureHow to Handle Very Diverse PopulationsPlanning for Adaptation or PersonalizationNarrowing Down the Target AudienceOn a Napkin

Start the Behavioral PlanWrite or Draw It Out, and Add Behavioral DetailTailor ItSimplify ItPare It Down to the Minimum Viable ActionCheat If You CanIdentify Potential HabitsMake It “Easy”Combine Where PossibleAvoid Common MistakesIt is Easy!Hard Work Builds CommitmentProvide “Small Wins”On a Napkin
Tactics You Can UseIncrease MotivationLeverage Existing Motivations Before Adding New OnesAvoid Punishing Your UsersTest Out Different Types of MotivatorsPull Future Motivations into the PresentDon’t Forget the Other Preconditions for ActionCue the User to ActGenerate a Feedback LoopKnock Out the CompetitionRemove or Avoid ObstaclesUpdate the Behavioral PlanOn A Napkin
Tactics You Can UseNarrate the Past to Support Future ActionAssociate with the Positive and the FamiliarEducate Your UsersHow Training Your Users Fits InUpdate the Behavioral PlanHow Behavior Change Techniques Relate to the Thought the Behavior RequiresOn a Napkin
Take StockExtract the Stories or SpecsAgile+LeanSequential DevelopmentThere Are Many Sources for Specs and StoriesDon’t Specify the Interface Just YetProvide Structure for Magic to OccurProduct Design Patterns for Behavior ChangeHigh-Touch ApproachesLow-Touch Behavior ChangeHow to Use Design PatternsDraw It OutA Cautionary Tale: My 2012 Exercise BandOn a Napkin
Look for Big GapsWhat You’re Looking For: The Create Action FunnelHow to Fix the Big Gaps: Action-Environment-UserLook for Tactical OpportunitiesTactics for CueingTell the User What the Action is (and Ask for It)Make It Clear Where to ActClear the Page of DistractionsBonus Tactic: Blinking TextTactics Related to the Intuitive ReactionMake the Site Professional and BeautifulDeploy Social ProofDisplay Strong Authority On the SubjectBe Authentic and PersonalTactics Related to the Conscious EvaluationPrime User-Relevant AssociationsLeverage Loss AversionUse Peer ComparisonsUse CompetitionAvoid Cognitive OverheadAvoid Choice OverloadAvoid Direct PaymentsTactics Related to the User’s Ability to ActElicit Implementation IntentionsDefault EverythingLessen the Burden of Action and Information (Cheat!)Deploy Peer ComparisonsTactics Related to When the Timing Is Right for ActionFrame Text to Avoid Temporal MyopiaRemind of Prior Commitment to ActMake Commitments to FriendsMake a Reward ScarceUpdate the Interface DesignsOn a Napkin
Put the Interface Design in Front of UsersKeep in Mind What the Team Defines as “Success”Look for Behavioral FeedbackFinalize the DesignsBuild the ProductPlan and Prioritize Engineering ResourcesEvaluate Engineering Trade-OffsTest ItGo Lean If PossibleOn a Napkin
Why Measure Impact?Where to Start: Outcomes and MetricsMake Sure the Target Outcome Is ClearDefine Metrics for the Outcome and ActionAction: User ExercisesAction: User Studies New LanguageSet the Thresholds for Success and FailureHow to Measure Those MetricsMeasuring Behaviors Within the ProductMeasuring Behaviors Outside of the ProductDetermining Impact: Running ExperimentsHow Many People Do You Need?Is There Really an Impact?Running Multiple Versions at OnceHow Do You Do Random Assignment in Practice?You Already Know Your UsersYou Don’t Know the Users YetMore Advanced Experimental DesignsStaggered RolloutMatching and Quasi-ExperimentsBuild It In, Hook It UpDetermining Impact: Unique Actions and OutcomesOther Ways to Determine ImpactA Pre-Post Look at ImpactA Cross-Sectional or Panel Data Analysis of ImpactWhat Happens If the Outcome Isn’t Measurable Within the Product?Figure Out How to Measure the Outcome and Action, By Hook Or By Crook (But Not By Survey)Find Cases Where You Can Connect Product Behavior to Real-World OutcomesBuild the Data BridgeOn a Napkin
Watch Real People Using the ProductCheck Your DataGather Additional Data About Your Users As NeededUse the Behavioral Plan to Find BottlenecksCheck Whether the Action Is Actually Working to Drive OutcomesSegment the User PopulationAdvanced Technique: Creating a Causal MapUsing the Causal Map to Determine Better Ways to Target the ApplicationUsing the Causal Map to Help Assess the Impact of the Application and Marginal Changes in the ApplicationUsing the Causal Map to Forecast the Impact of Future ChangesFigure Out How to Fix the ObstaclesUsing the Create Action Funnel to Debug ProblemsTesting: Small, Light, and IncrementalOn a Napkin
Determine What Changes to ImplementGatherPrioritizeIntegrateMeasure the Impact of Each Major ChangeHow to Run Incremental A/B Tests and Multivariate TestsHow to Compare Incremental Pre-Post ResultsHow to Find Incremental Effects in Statistical ModelsRunning Qualitative Tests of Incremental ChangesDeploying Multiarmed Bandit TechniquesWhen Is It “Good Enough”?How to (Re-)Design for Behavior Change with an Existing ProductOn a Napkin
An Example of the ApproachUnderstandDiscoverDesignRefineQuestions About How and Why We ActWhat Happens Before People Take Action the First Time?How Do the Preconditions for Action Vary From Day to Day?How Do the Dynamics of Using a Product Change as the User Gains Experience With It?Questions About the Mechanics of Building Behavior Change ProductsHow Can a Company Get Help Testing Its Product, Especially from Outside Researchers?How Can You Sustain Engagement With Your Product?When You’re Seeking to Change Behavior, How Do You Avoid Going Too Far?How Does Designing for Behavior Change Affect My Business Model?
Four LessonsUnderstand: How the Mind Makes DecisionsDiscover: How to Clarify Goals and Understand Your UsersDesign: How to Design for ActionActionEnvironmentUser PreparationRefine: How to Iteratively Improve the ProductThemesLooking Ahead
Resources on Behavior and Decision MakingResources on Applying the Mind’s Shortcuts to DesignBJ Fogg’s Persuasive Technology and Behavior ModelStephen Anderson’s Seductive Interaction DesignDan Lockton’s Design with IntentSusan Weinschenk’s Neuro-Web Design and 100 ThingsJeff Johnson’s Designing with the Mind in MindBlogsDesign TrickeryBooks on Decision MakingExplicit Behavior Change Approaches in Behavioral EconomicsGeneral Behavioral Economics/Judgment and Decision-Making BooksResearch On Habit FormationHow to Apply Behavior Change Concepts to One’s Own LifeBlogsBehavior Change Approaches from Marketing and SalesWhere to Get the Latest List of Resources

Content preview from Designing for Behavior Change

Chapter 13. Identifying Obstacles to Behavior Change

You’ve built a solid product. You’ve established a baseline for the product’s impact. Now, you want to improve it. This chapter will help you discover problems, develop potential solutions, and generate additional ideas for how to make the product better.

I think of debugging a product’s behavioral impact as a five-step process:

Watch how your users are actually using your product, and see what’s stopping them from changing their behavior.
Check your data to find other problems in the product and to gauge the severity of the issues identified through observation.
Devise potential solutions by understanding the psychology of why the problem occurs and what’s feasible in your product.
Prioritize proposed changes to the product and integrate them into the product development process.
Test the behavioral impact of high-priority changes.

This chapter walks you through the first three steps; the next chapter covers prioritization and testing the impact of changes.

Watch Real People Using the Product

To understand your product and how it’s impacting people’s lives, there’s no substitute for actually watching people use it. They will use it in ways you won’t expect. They’ll uncover assumptions the team had while designing and building the product. Some of them will also get frustrated, curse a bit, and stop using the product. Reams have been written about the importance of directly observing your users with your product to improve its usability. ...