Almost everything we do involves behaviour change: From designing good communications or websites in the hope people act on the information we present to them, designing policies, or strategies that we want people to follow, or designing good services to help people adopt and achieve their goals. But behaviour change is also hard. The world is complex and often difficult to navigate, presenting us with many distractions or roadblocks to achieving our goals, and there are times or circumstances where any of us will not be using our best decision making processes. This means that simply providing information is usually not sufficient to change people’s behaviour, and it takes time and a conducive environment to get us to act or change our opinions.
That’s why understanding people, through the appropriate application of behavioural science, is a crucial first step to unlocking an organisations goals.
Behavioural science is the study of how people make decisions and how their actions can be influenced by a variety of psychological, social, and environmental factors. Unlike traditional approaches to working with people that often rely on assumptions or intuitions about human behaviour, behavioural science is grounded in rigorous research and evidence. It leverages insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and sociology to understand the underlying mechanisms that drive human behaviour.
Why Start with a Behavioural Science Informed Approach?
Quite simply, if we begin by making assumptions about how people will behave or what will influence behaviour, we’re more likely to land on the wrong solutions and waste time and money on things that don’t work.
That’s why starting with a behaviourally informed approach is important, as it provides an evidence-based lens to your work specifically designed to address the complexities of human behaviour. Traditional methods often focus on what people should do, relying heavily on rationality and willpower. However, decades of research have shown that people don't always act rationally. They are influenced by cognitive biases, social norms, and environmental cues - factors that standard approaches often overlook.
By using behavioural science, we can design interventions that align with how people actually think and behave. This leads to more sustainable behaviour change because it addresses the root causes of actions rather than just the symptoms. Whether you're looking to improve employee engagement, increase customer retention, or promote healthier lifestyles, behavioural science provides the tools to create meaningful and lasting change.
Our approach is rooted in a deep understanding of behaviour change techniques (BCTs). These are specific strategies derived from behavioural science that have been proven to support organisations achieve success in a range of settings that require working with, or providing services to, people. Some examples include:
Nudging:
Subtle changes in the environment that make desired behaviours easier to perform. For instance, placing healthy foods at eye level in a cafeteria to encourage better eating habits, or sending timely reminders to help keep people engaged in a process.
Social Proof:
Leveraging the influence of others' actions to encourage similar behaviour. For example, showing that the majority of people recycle can increase recycling rates among those who don't.
Goal Setting:
Helping individuals set specific, achievable goals, which increases their likelihood of success. For example, encouraging people to develop specific plans for what actions they will take and how they will respond to setbacks can help people stick with goals like improving their health or looking for a job.
Commitment Devices:
Encouraging people to commit to a course of action in advance, reducing the temptation to deviate later. This could be as simple as setting up automatic savings transfers to build financial resilience.
Behavioural science can solve a wide range of problems across different sectors:
Healthcare:
Encouraging patients to adhere to treatment plans, promoting healthier lifestyle choices, or reducing the spread of diseases through better hygiene practices.
Finance:
Increasing savings rates, reducing debt, and helping people make better financial decisions.
Workplace practices:
Enhancing employee productivity, reducing absenteeism, and fostering a positive workplace culture.
Public Policy:
Designing effective policies that lead to higher compliance rates, whether it's in reducing energy consumption or improving public safety.
In each of these areas, behavioural science doesn’t just change what people do—it addresses the underlying barriers to people acting, ensuring that the new behaviours are sustainable in the long term.
As specialists in behavioural science and behaviour change techniques, we bring a unique and powerful approach to solving your challenges. We don't just provide advice; we design, test, and implement solutions that are rooted in how people actually behave. Our methods are proven, our techniques are cutting-edge, and our commitment to driving real, measurable change is unwavering.
Partner with us to harness the power of behavioural science and achieve results that last
