Behavioral Segmentation For Experience Design

How to realize real change? Big changes are notoriously difficult to make. With these four strategies in your repertoire, you can adapt your change strategy to what works. There are many typologies of change strategies. A useful one is the “Four General Strategies for Changing Human Systems,” by Quinn and Sonenstein (2007). It identifies four strategies that you can use for making organizational changes. EMPIRICAL-RATIONAL (“Telling” Strategy) Expects self-interested rationality. Will adopt a proposed change if the proposed changes are rationally justified, and the change agent demonstrates the benefit. This approach emphasizes that if the target has a justifiable reason to change (for self-interest), change comes from simply telling the target about the change. POWER-COERCIVE (“Forcing” Strategy) Change efforts in which a more powerful person imposes their will on a less powerful person. The change agent seemingly exercises coercion that ranges from subtle manipulation to the direct use of physical force. The main advantage is effective and rapid results. However, this comes at the expense of damaging relationships and trust. NORMATIVE-REEDUCATIVE (“Participating” Strategy) Views people as rationally self-interested, but emphasizes changes in a target’s values, skills and relationship. This approach understands people as inherently social, guided by a normative culture that influences behaviors. To successfully guide the changes, this method relies on trainers, therapists, or other change agents. SELF-TRANSCENDENCE (“Transcending” Strategy) Assumes people are internally driven to learn and grow and are intrinsically motivated to contribute to the greater good. It relies strongly on people’s integrity, awareness, and consciousness to know what is the right thing to do and act accordingly. Creates peace of mind and alignment between one’s values and behaviors. All strategies can work and they can be used together. The main thing to discover is which strategy to use when. This requires a good understanding of the situation, as well as the people in that situation. Are they sensitive to telling, to forcing, to participating, or to self-transcendence? For the next change you intend to make in your organization, consider these four strategies. Which one would you be normally using? Is it the most effective one? Which other strategies can you use to foster the change that you intend? —- For more useful strategy and leadership content, join my Soulful Strategy newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eKjb8Uss #humanbehavior #peoplemanagement #socialskills

I've spent over 10 years and 10,000 hours learning and practicing Behavior Design. Here's everything I've learned distilled into 9 key takeaways (that you can start applying today): 1. The best Behavior Design solutions are simple. Want to get people to do more of something? - Remind them - Make it easier - Make it more fun Behavior Design is all about getting to the heart of behavioral problems and making common sense changes. 2. Small changes generally result in small results. In other words: Nudges do not work. The best research shows that nudges have a ~1.4% impact on outcomes in the real world. If you're looking for a larger impact, don't even waste your time with nudges: https://lnkd.in/eQ5kbAGW 3. One-size-fits-all solutions are almost always disappointing. People are unique, and require unique solutions. We all differ in terms of our: - Likes - Dislikes - Talents - Understanding The best Behavior Design solutions are personalized: https://lnkd.in/eBAzbnRC 4. Stop thinking of it as "design." Instead, start thinking of your behavior-change attempts as experiments. - Research your user(s) - Come up with hypotheses (as to why the behavior isn't occurring) - Pick your favorite hypothesis - Run an experiment - Look at the results - Repeat Here's a short article on being a Design Scientist: https://lnkd.in/eGC2hbU9 5. We are all share a few core motivators: - Status - Safety - Progress - Connection - Curiosity If you're trying to move someone to action, start with this list. 6. If someone isn't doing something, you should always start by trying 2 things: - Remind them. - Make the thing easier. 80% of the time, the problem is one (or both) of these things. You can read more here: https://lnkd.in/e_qXC5CK 7. To increase motivation, add. To increase ability, subtract. Increasing motivation is all about giving people feedback, rewards, etc. You're adding things to your product or program. Increasing ability is all about removing things—steps, requirements, etc. 8. You don't have to be a psychologist to be a Behavior Designer. In fact, some of the worst behavior design work is done by people w/ an academic behavioral science background. Don't let a lack of credentials hold you back. Learn the principles & apply them with common sense. 9. And lastly, the single best piece of Behavior Design advice: Be straightforward, not clever. Creative solutions will make you look good in meetings, but they're unlikely to work. The best solutions are straightforward. They get to the heart of the behavior issue. No frills.

Giving people information is rarely enough to encourage a change in their behaviour. A better approach is to understand what is holding them back. In my role as Communications Officer in the IT Division of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, I constantly talk about change. Technology is developing at a lightening speed, and big part of my role focuses on supporting my colleagues in the adoption of new digital ways of working. In this job, I came to see that overcoming barriers that hold people back from adopting new technologies can, at times, be more important than guides, tutorials and announcements aimed at helping them to start using the tools.  Lack of awareness is usually just one of many factors which may prevent people from successfully adopting a new app or service. The barriers can include anything from lack of confidence to poor Internet connectivity. So, for those aiming to inspire change in others, consider these three points: 1️⃣ Understand the Obstacles: When seeking change, the instinct is often to push harder, using incentives, reasoning, data, and evidence. A better approach is to ask yourself -and others- what obstacles prevent people from doing the right thing. 2️⃣ Shift Your Focus: Move away from fixating on the change you wish to introduce and redirect your focus towards understanding your audience and their context. 3️⃣ Engage in Conversations: Talk to people you are trying to influence. A simple yet powerful question to pose is, "Why?" Be prepared to ask it multiple times to uncover honest insights. Another technique is to involve the individuals you serve in the process, turning them into co-creators of the solution. When thinking about strategies to propel people forward, it's crucial not to overlook the barriers that may be holding them back. Image credit: Kaamran Hafeez for the New Yorker 

𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬! Have you ever wondered why some habits stick effortlessly while others seem impossible to break? The secret lies in understanding the science of behavior change. 🧠 Here’s how you can transform your habits using the Fogg Behavior Model: Identify the components: Behavior happens when three elements converge simultaneously: Motivation: Your desire to perform the behavior. Ability: How easy or difficult the behavior is. Prompt: The trigger that initiates the behavior. 📈 Increase Motivation: You can find personal reasons that make the desired habit meaningful to you. Visualize the benefits and long-term rewards. Surround yourself with positive influences and success stories. 🛠️ Enhance Ability: Simplify the desired behavior. Make it easy to start. Break down complex habits into tiny, manageable steps. Remove obstacles and streamline the process. ⏰ Use Effective Prompts: Set up reminders and cues that trigger the behavior at the right time. Link the new habit to an existing routine (e.g., after brushing your teeth, do a quick workout). Use technology wisely – calendar alerts, apps, and smart devices can be great prompts. 🌟 Build Tiny Habits: Start small. Celebrate small wins. Gradually increase the difficulty as the habit becomes ingrained. Consistency is key – repetition strengthens the habit loop. 🚫 Break Unwanted Habits: Reduce motivation: Reflect on the negative consequences. Decrease ability: Make the habit harder to perform. Eliminate prompts: Remove triggers from your environment. Example: Want to read more? 📚 Motivation: Remind yourself of the knowledge and relaxation reading brings. Ability: Start with just 5 minutes a day or a few pages. Prompt: Place a book on your pillow to remind you to read before bed. Are you trying to cut down on screen time? 📵 Motivation: Focus on the benefits of reduced stress and better sleep. Ability: Set app limits and move distracting apps off your home screen. Prompt: Schedule tech-free time during meals and before bed. By understanding and leveraging these components, you can design your environment and routines to foster the habits you want and phase out the ones you don’t. Let's embark on this journey to better habits together! Share your experiences and tips below.👇 #BehaviorChange #Habits #PersonalDevelopment #Motivation #Productivity #Wellness #DrGPT

What changes behaviour? It's not what many of us try. We often try to: - Increase knowledge - Change beliefs about consequences - Shape general attitudes - Improve general skills - Sanction certain behaviours But those are not the best strategies. According to a large synthesis of 147 meta-analyses done by Albarracín et al. (2024), the more effective strategies are to: - Provide access to resources that facilitate the behaviour - Establish habits that make the behaviour routine - Provide help with performing the behaviour - Shift attitudes about the behaviour itself - Help people feel they'll fit in by doing the behaviour - Teach skills to execute the behaviour Material incentives can be effective, but the tend to undermine intrinsic motivation to do the behaviour. Sometimes, that doesn't matter, but many times it does. That's why I've not included it in these top six high-impact targets for intervention. Wellbeing and performance are closely connected to behaviours, so to enable flourishing, as individuals or in teams, we need more than just knowledge. We need to change behaviours. The paper is well worth reading. The citation is at the bottom of the graphic. I've reformatted their charts here to put the influences on the same scales. How do these findings fit with your experiences? I'd love to hear.

You're not just delivering a project You're delivering a behavior shift. A new system, process, or tool means nothing if no one uses it. Except most project plans stop at launch. Not adoption. If you're a PM, you're also a change manager. Here's 3 tips to build for behavior AND delivery: ☝ Define what's changing for the end user Every project introduces friction. New steps. New tools. New habits. Map the real impact. Not just the shift in duties, but the human change. ✌ Bring people in early Change lands smoother when people see themselves in the solution. Co-design communications + plans with users. This will make them champions rather than critics. 🤟 Reinforce even after launch The project isn't done at go-live. Change management doesn't just happen at the end either. It's a living process, so plan for training, support, feedback loops, and follow-ups. That's where real adoption happens. Deliverables don't manage change. People do. Make sure to build behavior change into your projects so they're successful. 🤙

People are different. Context matters. Things change. Eric Hekler’s mantra is one of those deceptively simple ideas that should be obvious, but isn’t. It’s why so many so-called behavior change interventions flop, and why we keep getting notifications at the worst possible moments. Most health and wellness apps still take a static, one-size-fits-all approach. They assume if a certain nudge or goal worked once, it’ll work forever. Or that people are predictable, logical creatures who will of course go for that lunchtime walk just because their phone suggested it. Instead, what if we designed personalized, perpetually adapting interventions that actually respond to a unique person’s evolving needs? 👭 1. People are different → Personalization A 10,000-step goal might inspire one person but overwhelm another. A sleep tracker that rewards “consistent bedtimes” might help some, but stress out shift workers or parents of young kids (ask me how I know). Instead of assuming what works for some will work for everyone, interventions should learn from the individual and adjust accordingly. 🏖️ 2. Context matters → Just-in-Time Adaptation The best nudge in the world is useless if it arrives at the wrong time. A reminder to “take a walk” while you’re in back-to-back meetings? Ignored. A bedtime notification while you’re still out with friends? Deeply unhelpful. Instead of blasting out advice, interventions should consider real-world constraints. When is the person actually in a suitable position to act? 👛 3. Things change → Perpetual Adaptation Motivation isn’t a constant. Life gets in the way. What worked last month might not work this month. A smart intervention doesn’t just set a goal and hope for the best! It adjusts over time, just like a good coach. Take a sleep coaching app. Instead of rigidly telling you to sleep at 10 PM every night (good luck with that), it could: ✔ Personalize recommendations based on your actual sleep patterns. ✔ Adapt to context, recognizing that late work nights or weekend plans shift your bedtime. ✔ Adjust over time. If you consistently ignore bedtime reminders, try something new. Maybe it suggests a wind-down routine instead. Or nudges you 15 minutes earlier at a time rather than expecting a sudden 10 PM shutdown. And stops bugging you altogether if you’re already hitting your sleep goals. This is the future of behavior change — interventions that are smart enough to meet people where they are, when they’re ready, in ways that actually make sense. Now, your turn: What’s an example of an intervention (digital or otherwise) that actually adapted to you?

People would rather die than change their behavior: Studies show that only 10% of people who get heart bypass surgery go on to modify their diets and lifestyles. You can see why leadership development, which hinges on behavior change, gets labeled as a cost center. That’s why I built an entire company and platform devoted to helping HR pros change behavior. And that’s why I will beat the drum of these 4 strategies until they become HR gospel: Strategy 1️⃣: Behavioral nudges Nudges change behavior. Think: - a text from your dentist - a picture of a fly in a urinal - an employee asking “would you like to supersize that?” Great nudges = behavioral science + purposeful AI Strategy 2️⃣: Microlearning Instead of sequestering employees to dusty, windowless training rooms for eight hours, deliver learning in bite-size chunks in the flow of work. Microlearning: - meets busy learners where they are - spreads content delivery out over time (aka MORE points of practice & reinforcement) - turns key concepts and strategies into an open book test (i.e., pull up a job aid for your upcoming 1:1 meeting) Strategy 3️⃣: Agenda-driven learning Agenda-driven learning (as opposed to libraries) establishes purpose. Whether it’s for New Managers, Sales Enablement, or Team Engagement, a purposeful curriculum helps win learner buy-in. Strategy 4️⃣: Scale coaching to EVERY LEARNER Coaches help change behavior. Sure, it’s not feasible to grant every learner access to a 1:1 exec coach, but it's 2023 and there are scalable options: - Group coaching: Cohort-based, live group coaching gives learners the chance to practice key skills with an expert and learn from their peers. - LiveCoach: Message directly with a seasoned coach about questions you have and challenges you face as you apply what you learned on the job. --- Sparking real, long-term behavior change is the best way to drive impact, get a seat at the table, and win more budget. #leadershipdevelopment #nudges #training

📢 Every year I am in the industry, it becomes more and more evident that the power of culture trumps whatever training and education is in place for new employees. On paper and in theory, organizations know training and education on proper techniques and behaviors are important for preparing new manufacturing employees. However, it is what comes after that defines whether that knowledge is put into action. Your frontline oversight and management will set the tone for the culture and even the best training programs can be overshadowed by a poor organizational culture and work environment. 🔍 Culture shapes how employees interpret and apply their training. When a new manufacturing employee enters a workplace, their initial eagerness and adherence to taught techniques can be significantly influenced by the prevailing cultural norms and environmental factors. If the culture does not support or reinforce the learned behaviors, the effectiveness of training can diminish quickly. 📊Social proximity, or the closeness and quality of relationships among individuals, plays a crucial role in maintaining the desired behaviors and techniques. Humans are social creatures and we’re all highly influenced by the people around us each day. There’s little you can do to control it because it’s simply a characteristic of humans; this is how we learn and how we relate to one another. Who you spend your time with will have an impact on the way you behave. A supportive and positive work culture can reinforce training, while a toxic environment can lead to shortcuts, non-compliance, and ultimately, errors and inefficiencies. 🛠️ To drive the right behaviors and techniques, consider the following strategies: *Open Reporting Culture: Encourage employees to report near-misses and potential error traps without fear of retribution. This proactive approach helps in identifying and addressing system issues before they escalate. *Human-Centered Design: Ensure that tools, procedures, and the work environment are designed to support optimal human performance. This includes clear instructions, ergonomic workstations, and intuitive interfaces. *Continuous Learning and Improvement: Cultivate a learning culture where feedback is used constructively to improve processes. Regular training updates and simulations of critical steps can keep skills sharp and relevant. *Align Goals and Rewards: Align organizational goals with individual performance metrics. Recognize and reward teams that consistently follow procedures and contribute to a positive culture. #manufacturing #HOP #HuP #humanperformance

Stop trying to "fix" the user. Design for who they actually are. I recently spoke with AARP about a heavy topic: Is your personality killing you? The data shows clear correlations. Generally, high Conscientiousness predicts longevity, while high Neuroticism correlates with health risks. If we relied solely on averages, the public health advice would simply be: "Try to be more organized and less anxious." But as a researcher, I know that telling a user to change their fundamental personality is a guaranteed way to fail. You can’t just look at the correlation; you have to understand the mechanism to find the actionable insight. In the interview, I broke down how we can use heterogeneity to design better health outcomes: 👉 The Mechanism: Conscientious people live longer largely because they adhere to routines (taking meds, booking screenings). 👉 The Intervention: If a patient scores low on Conscientiousness, don't tell them to "try harder." Design a system that removes the need for willpower—like automated text reminders or 7-day pill organizers. 👉 The Mechanism: Highly Agreeable people have great social support but often struggle to advocate for themselves in medical settings (they don't want to be "difficult"). 👉 The Intervention: Advise these individuals specifically to bring a disagreeable friend or advocate to appointments. The takeaway for UX and Product teams: Personalization isn't just about using a customer's first name in an email. It’s about understanding that different segments of your audience interact with your product through completely different psychological lenses. Don't try to change the user to fit the product. Build infrastructure that supports the user as they are. 🔗 You can read the full article on how personality traits influence health outcomes here: https://lnkd.in/gntV3tEv #BehavioralScience #UserResearch #Personalization #HealthTech #Psychology