The document discusses how product design can form habits and behaviors through a "Hook" model. The Hook has 4 parts: a trigger that initiates behavior, an action performed by the user, a variable reward received, and an investment of some kind by the user. Frequent repetition of the trigger-action-reward loop can form habits over time. Products aim to address internal triggers like boredom, fear, or social needs. Variable rewards like social approval, achievement, or novelty keep users engaged. Investments like data, time or content shared increase the likelihood of returning. The goal is to shape user preferences and attitudes through repeated experiences with the Hook.

1. h
Hooked
@nireyal
k

2. Products can profoundly
CHANGE OUR BEHAVIORS.

3. 100’s of millions of
users…
…and 100’s of
millions of dollars.

4. ?
NS
T
AT
P
R
E

5. I wrote this …
… more at:
NirAndFar.com

6. Vitamins OR
Pain Killers?

7. PAIN KILLERS address a
burning need.

8. VITAMINS are
“nice to have.”

9. Vitamins OR
Pain Killers?

10. With habit-­‐forming technology
PLEASURE SEEKING
behavior
becomes
PAIN ALLEVIATING
behavior

11. What do we mean by PAIN?

12. Close your eyes.

13. HOW DID YOU FEEL?

14. When we FEEL AN ITCH
we seek to SCRATCH IT.

15. The SOLUTION TO
OUR DISCOMFORT
is found in the product’s use.

16. We are not designing for addiction
Do not design for addiction.
NOT must be in graphic

17. hab·it
A BEHAVIOR DONE WITH
LITTLE OR NO
CONSCIOUS
THOUGHT

18. HEALTHTAP
LUMO
POCKET
REFRESH.IO
EMODT
Habits can be used for good.
REV
7 CUPS
BIA
PANTRY LABS

20. 1. FREQUENCY
Source: Judah, G; Gardner, B; Aunger, R; 2013

21. 2. ATTITUDE CHANGE
Source: Judah, G; Gardner, B; Aunger, R; 2013

22. Harnessing
HABITS
can be
VERY GOOD
FOR BUSINESS.

23. Creating consumer habits drives
HIGHER CUSTOMER
LIFETIME VALUE (CLTV).

24. Creating consumer habits gives companies
GREATER FLEXIBILITY
TO INCREASE PRICES.

25. Creating consumer habits
SUPERCHARGES
GROWTH.

26. Creating consumer habits
INCREASES DEFENSIBILITY.

27. HARD WORK
However, forming new habits is

28. AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE.

29. But if your business requires
“unprompted user engagement,”

30. A design pattern to help
FORM BETTER PRODUCT
HYPOTHESES.

31. BUILDING IS
EXPENSIVE

32. INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF SUCCESS.

33. h
k
The$HOOK$is$an$experience$designed$to$
connect$the$user’s$problem$to$your$solu7on.$

34. h
with%enough%%
FREQUENCY%%
to%%
FORM+A+HABIT.+
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35. k
h
A"Hook"has"4"parts:"

36. A -­‐ A hook has 4 parts:
T -­‐ Trigger
A -­‐ Action
R -­‐ Reward
I -­‐ Investment

37. h
k

38. HABITS ARE
BUILT UPON
like the layers of a
pearl.

39. Triggers come in two flavors:
EXTERNAL &
INTERNAL

40. EXTERNAL TRIGGERS
The information for what to do next
is within the trigger.
Billboards
SO
DA

41. Optimizing external triggers =
Growth Hacking

42. INTERNAL TRIGGERS
The information for what to do next is informed
through an association in the user’s memory.

43. Negative emotions are POWERFUL INTERNAL TRIGGERS.
lonesome
indecisive powerless
tense
dissatisfied
confused inferior
fatigued
discouraged fear of loss
bored
lost

44. People who are DEPRESSED CHECK EMAIL MORE OFTEN.
Source: Kotikalapudi et al 2012

45. When we feel LONELY we use

46. When we feel UNSURE we use

47. When we are BORED we use

48. Do you know your customer’s
INTERNAL TRIGGER?

49. What triggers make so habit-­‐forming?

50. external triggers

51. solves the pain
of losing the moment.

52. But is
also a social network.
Lonely
Stressed
Curious
Urge to
preserve
Bored
Insecurity

53. h
k

54. The
SIMPLEST ACTION
in anticipation of a reward.

55. Scroll

56. Search

57. Play

58. According to BJ Fogg, for any behavior to occur, we
need MOTIVATION, ABILITY, and a TRIGGER
b=m+a+t

59. mo·ti·va·tion
“THE ENERGY FOR ACTION”
-­‐Edward Deci

60. THERE ARE SIX FACTORS
THAT CAN INCREASE
MOTIVATION.
Seeking Pleasure
Avoiding Pain
Seeking Hope
Avoiding Fear
Seeking Acceptance
Avoiding Rejection
Source: Dr. BJ Fogg, Stanford University

61. Seeking HOPE

62. Seeking PLEASURE

63. Avoiding FEAR

64.
Seeking ACCEPTANCE

65. ABILITY
the capacity to do
a particular action

66. Time%
$
Money%
Physical%effort%
%
Six$factors$can$increase$or$decrease$ability.
Brain%cycles%
Social%deviance%
Non8rou:ne%
Source:%Dr.%BJ%Fogg,%Stanford%University%

67. Level of of motivation and ability
determines if action will occur.
MOTIVATION
TRIGGER
SUCCEEDS
TRIGGER
FAILS
Fogg Behavior Model
ABILITY
Source: Dr. BJ Fogg, Stanford University

68. Simplicity is a
function of your
scarcest resource at
that moment.
-­‐BJ Fogg

69. through the years
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

70. through the years
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

71. through the years
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

72. h
k

73. Source: Olds and Milner, 1945
It all starts with the
NUCLEUS
ACCUMBENS
studied by Olds & Milner.

74. The nucleus accumbens
is activated when
we crave.

75. Were
Olds & Milner
stimulating
pleasure?
Not exactly.

76. They were stimulating the
STRESS OF DESIRE.

77. Our reward system activates
with anticipation
Source: Knutson et al 2001

78. … and calms when
we get what we want.
Source: Knutson et al 2001

79. That’s the ITCH
we seek to SCRATCH.

80. There is a way to supercharge the stress of desire.

82. THE UNKNOWN
IS FASCINATING.
Variability causes us to
focus and engagement

83. …and increases behavior.

84. The nucleus accumbens is
stimulated by variability.

85. 3 types of VARIABLE REWARDS
TRIBE
HUNT
SELF
Habit-­‐forming tech uses 1 OR MORE

86. SEARCH FOR
SOCIAL REWARDS
TRIBE

87. empathetic joy
partnership
competition

88. We Like social rewards.

89. We LOVE our tribes.

90. We value recognition and cooperation

91. SEARCH FOR
RESOURCES
HUNT

92. Stems from the hunt for food and resources

93. Hunt for variable material rewards

94. Hunt for variable material rewards

95. Hunt
for variable
information
rewards.

96. Hunters on
scroll pages.

97. SEARCH FOR
SELF-­‐ACHIEVEMENT
SELF

98. Leveling-­‐up reflects MASTERY and COMPETENCY.

99. Inbox or task management reflects
CONSISTENCY and COMPLETION.

100. WARNING
Variable rewards are not a free pass.
Your product still must address the itch.

101. Build variable rewards that scratch the users itch,
but leave them wanting more.

102. h
k

103. Users “invest” for future benefits.
Money
Social
Capital
Personal
Data
Time
Emotional
Commitment
Effort

104. Investments increase the
likelihood of the next pass
through the Hook in
TWO
ways.

105. 1.
INVESTMENTS
LOAD THE
NEXT TRIGGER
OF THE HOOK.

106. Each new message posted on

107. is an open
invitation for an
external trigger to
be returned.

108. Loading the next trigger with Pin It button

109. The Hook
External Trigger:
Facebook, Twitter, WOM
Interesting objects (Hunt)
Re-­‐pin, follow,
comment
Scroll
(Early User – “Consumer” )

110. The Hook
External Trigger:
Emails and notifications
Internal Trigger:
Fear of losing content, boredom
What did friend post? (Tribe)
Interesting objects (Hunt)
Install Pin It button, Pin,
Re-­‐pin, follow,
comment
(Experienced User – “Curators”)
Log-­‐in

111. 2.
INVESTMENTS STORE VALUE,
improving the product with use.

112. CONTENT

113. DATA

114. FOLLOWERS

115. REPUTATION
30

116. !
INVESTMENTS!
CREATES !
PREFERENCE.

117. We value things more when
put work in them.
3rd Party Bids
$0.05
Expert Origami
$0.27
Source: Ariely, Mochon, and Norton, 2012
Self-made Origami
$0.23

118. As we invest, we seek to be
consistent with our past behaviors.
Group 1
Group 2
Source: Freedman & Fraser, 1966
76%
17%

119. Changing attitude
and perception to
avoid COGNITIVE
DISSONANCE.
Source: Jon Esler, 1983

120. We change our
preferences,
tastes and
attitudes.

121. h
k
The$HOOK$is$an$experience$designed$to$
connect$the$user’s$problem$to$your$solu7on.$

122. Each pass through the Hook helps
SHAPE USER PREFERENCES AND ATTITUDES.

123. h
With%enough%frequency,%
A"HABIT"IS"FORMED."
k

124. A -­‐ A hook has 4 parts:
T -­‐ Trigger
A -­‐ Action
R -­‐ Reward
I -­‐ Investment

125. The HOOK Canvas
1. What internal trigger is
the product addressing?
2. What external trigger
gets the user to the product?
4. Is the reward
fulfilling, yet leaves the
user wanting more?
5. What “bit of work” is done
to increase the likelihood of
returning?
3. What is the simplest
behavior in anticipation
of reward?

126. THE MORALITY
OF MANIPULATION

127. Designing
habit-­‐forming
products is a form
of manipulation.

128. Users take our technologies to bed.

129. They check our devices before saying “good
morning” to loved ones.

130. Quite possibly, the
“CIGARETTE OF
THIS CENTURY.”
-­‐ Ian Bogust

131. What
RESPONSIBILITY
do we have when
changing user behavior?

132. THE WORLD IS FULL OF PROBLEMS TO FIX.
Help others find meaning. Engage them in
something important.

133. Build the
CHANGE
you want to see in
THE WORLD.

134. Read this …
… more at:
NirAndFar.com

135. h
1. Take the survey.
k
www.OpinionTo.Us
!
2. Get the slides.
@nireyal
www.nirandfar.com