Design Thinking and Behavior Change: Take One                   R. Craig Lefebvre, PhD	   		             chief maven, socialShiftResearch Professor, George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services
Design Thinking and Behavior Change: Take OneThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
Orienting PrinciplesDesign thinking for behavior change focuses on helping people learn new behaviors, not enabling us to change their current ones.Behavior is designed by genetic, biological, physical, psychological, social, economic, technological, environmental and cultural forces.Design thinking must capture and reflect how learning occurs in the natural contours of people’s lives.Products, services, policies, programs and communication serve to improve, support and sustain learning and behavior – or not!
How People Learn Most of the Time
New Technologies Expand The Scope and Capacity for LearningModeling: People learn from what they see others doing and observing the consequences of those actions.
Why do people pay attention?
Why do people pay attention?It’s important to them at the moment (fits preconceptions, interests).It moves them emotionally.Not too complicated.It is ubiquitous or frequent.They find it useful to solve a problem – cope with the environment.
Why do people remember it?
Why do people remember it? Can convert information to images and easily used words, phrases, slogans. Can create ‘rules’ – “do this when…” - or a prototype behavior (eat 5 a day). Learn to talk themselves through situations, feelings, etc. Rehearse it – mentally (cognitively) or in actual practice.
Why do people act or not?
Why do people act or not? They can see themselves doing it. Have opportunities to practice it (get better at it). Have the necessary component skills to do it (within biological and physical constraints). Get feedback (internal and external) – making the unobservable observable (performance feedback).
But – they have to be motivated!
But – they have to be motivated!Not acting on what we learn most often happens when the new behavior has little functional value or carries a high risk of punishment.Performing the new behavior results from three types of incentives – the allure of direct, tangible rewards; observed or vicarious rewards - experiencing it though others; and self-produced ones.Behaviors are more likely to occur when they are met with valued outcomes – material benefits, sensory stimulation, positive or negative social reactions, reward of efficacy in controlling events (feeling in control of things).
It’s ALL About Matching
It’s ALL About MatchingWhat’s the desirable or aspirational behavior versus what’s relevant and possible in their life.Understand what is the extraordinarily normal.Create contours and context for behaviors.Be slightly ‘off’ – gradually learn the rules and shape the behavior (coping vs mastery models).Make observable features (self-monitoring).Use other media to surround, permeate and be a continual presence.
Design thinking allows us to look at the contours of people’s lives and discover new opportunities and resources for learning and improving social conditions..
CreditsPrinciples based on: Bandura A. Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1986. Cover photo: The Great Wave off Kanagawa. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa.jpg]How people learn most of the time photo: Orb of life by Jaxxon. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaxxon/72032259]New technologies photo: Learning Muggu by srinivasakrishna. [ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/srinivasakrishna/2261211468/]Why do people pay attention? photo: Confusion by Dave Nitsche. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/60486745@N00/390044745].Why do people remember it? photo: I can taste summer!byBitzi. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitzi/176304506]Why do people act or not? photo: Stage rehearsal for performance by  _dai_. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/daiharuki/484522382]But they have to be motivated! photo: A little push by Stephaniedan. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniedan/2615420737]It’s ALL about matching! photo: Imitation of life by Ko_An. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/ko_an/173692337]Closing photo: Kenyan weekend marketplace by Craig Lefebvre.

Introduction To Behavioral Design

  • 1.
    Design Thinking andBehavior Change: Take One R. Craig Lefebvre, PhD chief maven, socialShiftResearch Professor, George Washington University School of Public Health & Health Services
  • 2.
    Design Thinking andBehavior Change: Take OneThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
  • 3.
    Orienting PrinciplesDesign thinkingfor behavior change focuses on helping people learn new behaviors, not enabling us to change their current ones.Behavior is designed by genetic, biological, physical, psychological, social, economic, technological, environmental and cultural forces.Design thinking must capture and reflect how learning occurs in the natural contours of people’s lives.Products, services, policies, programs and communication serve to improve, support and sustain learning and behavior – or not!
  • 4.
    How People LearnMost of the Time
  • 5.
    New Technologies ExpandThe Scope and Capacity for LearningModeling: People learn from what they see others doing and observing the consequences of those actions.
  • 6.
    Why do peoplepay attention?
  • 7.
    Why do peoplepay attention?It’s important to them at the moment (fits preconceptions, interests).It moves them emotionally.Not too complicated.It is ubiquitous or frequent.They find it useful to solve a problem – cope with the environment.
  • 8.
    Why do peopleremember it?
  • 9.
    Why do peopleremember it? Can convert information to images and easily used words, phrases, slogans. Can create ‘rules’ – “do this when…” - or a prototype behavior (eat 5 a day). Learn to talk themselves through situations, feelings, etc. Rehearse it – mentally (cognitively) or in actual practice.
  • 10.
    Why do peopleact or not?
  • 11.
    Why do peopleact or not? They can see themselves doing it. Have opportunities to practice it (get better at it). Have the necessary component skills to do it (within biological and physical constraints). Get feedback (internal and external) – making the unobservable observable (performance feedback).
  • 12.
    But – theyhave to be motivated!
  • 13.
    But – theyhave to be motivated!Not acting on what we learn most often happens when the new behavior has little functional value or carries a high risk of punishment.Performing the new behavior results from three types of incentives – the allure of direct, tangible rewards; observed or vicarious rewards - experiencing it though others; and self-produced ones.Behaviors are more likely to occur when they are met with valued outcomes – material benefits, sensory stimulation, positive or negative social reactions, reward of efficacy in controlling events (feeling in control of things).
  • 14.
  • 15.
    It’s ALL AboutMatchingWhat’s the desirable or aspirational behavior versus what’s relevant and possible in their life.Understand what is the extraordinarily normal.Create contours and context for behaviors.Be slightly ‘off’ – gradually learn the rules and shape the behavior (coping vs mastery models).Make observable features (self-monitoring).Use other media to surround, permeate and be a continual presence.
  • 16.
    Design thinking allowsus to look at the contours of people’s lives and discover new opportunities and resources for learning and improving social conditions..
  • 17.
    CreditsPrinciples based on:Bandura A. Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall Inc, 1986. Cover photo: The Great Wave off Kanagawa. [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa.jpg]How people learn most of the time photo: Orb of life by Jaxxon. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaxxon/72032259]New technologies photo: Learning Muggu by srinivasakrishna. [ttp://www.flickr.com/photos/srinivasakrishna/2261211468/]Why do people pay attention? photo: Confusion by Dave Nitsche. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/60486745@N00/390044745].Why do people remember it? photo: I can taste summer!byBitzi. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitzi/176304506]Why do people act or not? photo: Stage rehearsal for performance by _dai_. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/daiharuki/484522382]But they have to be motivated! photo: A little push by Stephaniedan. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniedan/2615420737]It’s ALL about matching! photo: Imitation of life by Ko_An. [http://www.flickr.com/photos/ko_an/173692337]Closing photo: Kenyan weekend marketplace by Craig Lefebvre.

Editor's Notes

  • #7 It’s important to them at the moment (fits preconceptions, interests)It moves them emotionallyNot too complicatedIts ubiquitous or frequentFind it useful to solve a problem – cope with the environment
  • #9 Can convert information to images and easily used words, phrases, slogans.Can create ‘rules’ – “do this when…” - or a prototype behavior (eat 5 a day)Learn to talk themselves through situations, feelings, etcRehearse it – mentally (cognitively) or in practice
  • #11 They can see themselves doing itHave opportunities to practice it (get better at it)Have the necessary component skills to do it (with biological and physical constraints)Get feedback (intrinsic and extrinsic) – making the unobservable observable (performance feedback)
  • #13 Not acting on what we learn most often happens when the new behavior has little functional value or carries a high risk of punishment.Performing the new behavior results fro three types of incentives – the allure of direct, tangible rewards; observed or vicarious rewards – experiencing it though others; and self-produced ones.Behaviors are more likely to occur when they are met with valued outcomes – material benefits, sensory stimulation, positive or negative social reactions, reward of efficacy in controlling events (feeling in control of things).
  • #15 What’s the desirable or aspirational behavior versus what’s relevant and possible in their lifeUnderstand what is the extraordinarily normalCreate contours and context for behaviorsBe slightly ‘off’ – gradually learn the rules and shape the behavior (coping vs mastery models)Make observable features (self-monitoring)Use other media to surround, permeate and be a continual presence