First of three parts from SxSW 2011 workshop: Behavior Design: Stop Being Neutral, Start Influencing Decisions.

1. Behavior Design
Stop being neutral,
and start influencing decisions.
#sxbehavior
Chris Risdon Nick Disabato Brad Nunnally
@livebysatellite @nickdpi @bnunnally

2. Framing Behavior Design
Chris Risdon
@livebysatellite
chris@adaptivepath.com
chrisrisdon.com

3. Framing Behavior Design Chris
5 minute break
Design Decisions Nick
5 minute break
Ethical Frameworks Brad
Q&A

4. A poster child for behavior design, bringing
together many of the concepts and themes we’re
discussing, Green Goose creates the “internet of
things” by allowing you to attach sensors (RFID
and accelerometers) to almost any object.

5. Set simple lifestyle goals. (such as brushing your
teeth 3x daily)
Track your progress automatically with sensors
Earn lifestyle points

6. Ever since I started as an IA in the 90s, I’ve
thought about the impact of my design decisions.
But it was 3 years ago I started to dive deeper into
the psychology of how we made decisions and
were influenced by technology.

7. Three years ago I moved from NYC to Atlanta, GA.

8. Within two months, I gained 10 pounds.

9. My whole family gained weight, even our three
dogs. (though I’m smart enough not to illustrate
the weight gain on my stick-figure wife)

10. Obviously I moved from a city where I walked
everywhere, to one where I drove everywhere. I
became fascinated how the design of city spaces
influenced my health and how my perceptions
changed around certain activities.

11. In New York, if you said there was a great restaurant just a
20 minute walk away, I thought that was convenient.
If you said that restaurant was a 20 minute walk in Atlanta,
I was going to drive, and have it only take 8 minutes.

12. If I have a few of these choices every day, every week, I
think about how I can maximize my time, not rationally
about long term environment or health impact.

13. Dan Ariely
Predictably Irrational
The Upside
of Irrationality
As I started to research this, I came across behavior
economist Dan Ariely. He had an anecdote that summed
up how I made my decisions around driving in Atlanta....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/
billhr/3266119190/

14. Let’s say I have a half a box of chocolates open here in front of you. I will give
you this half box of chocolates now, or I will a full box of chocolates in a week.
Most people will select the half box of chocolates now.
If you ask if they want a half box of chocolates in a year, or a full box in a year
and one week, they will be able to think rationally and select the full box.

15. “
Active Design is the idea that we can
design...buildings to encourage people to
get more exercise...
By attacking obesity through urban
design and architecture, governments
are beginning to realize that designers
might be their best warriors in the
”
battle against obesity and its costs.
Active Design are guidelines by the city in conjunction
with architects and urban planning academics. —Fast Company

16. “
This strategy recognizes that the
public’s underlying motivations are not
about health, but rather, about what is
”
convenient and enjoyable.
These examples reinforce the fact that we, as
designers, are not simply designing for cognition –
or to support behavior. —Fast Company

17. Data

18. “ I do take some of the
totals to heart and
try to adjust my
behavior accordingly.
—Nicholas Felton
”
The utility and pervasiveness of data has grown.

19. Thanks to technology data can be collected passively.

20. What does data provide. Once collected what does it do?
Data tells a story. Their behaviors write the story.

21. BJ Fogg
When we understand how people make decisions, and
how we can provide insight to their behaviors, how do we
target behavior change?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/
netliferesearch/2867937570/

24. 90999
Imagine sitting at an airport killing time before a flight, you
see a story about a disaster somewhere across the globe. This
story, and it’s images are the data.
A call to donate to the Red Cross through their website is the
trigger. Your ability is limited by waiting to get on the web.

25. If you have a mobile phone, and are able to act simply by
texting the Red Cross, and having $10 seamlessly added to
your phone bill, the ability to act is easy, and thus the
motivation does not have to be as high as when you’d
need to wait and log onto the website at a later time.

26. Persuasion
Let’s talk about “persuasion.” It’s a loaded word when
discussing behavior design.

27. Usability
Persuasion
In some camps, certain techniques are seen as a means to persuade, in others that same technique is a means to aid
cognition. Trialability is the concept that if you simulate an activity, or demonstrate a product, the user will be more
likely to engage in that activity, or with that product - it’s a tool for persuasion. But others, such as an information
architect or usability specialist, may see this as a means for aiding cognition, allowing the user to better complete the
activity, or understand how to use the product.

28. Usability
Persuasion
Amazon One Click has value to the user, it makes
purchasing an item easier.
It’s also a persuasive tool designed to prompt more
impulse purchases.

29. Usability
Persuasion
Good Defaults are intended to aid in completing easily
and correctly.
But it also persuades the user’s actions.

30. Dan Lockton
Design with Intent
Design patterns
that influence behavior.
A good quote about persuasion.

31. I see the best behavior-influencing design
“ to be where the needs of two (or more)
parties align...
...There are people in the persuasive
technology community who would argue
that this isn’t persuasion, and perhaps it
isn’t, but it’s certainly interaction design
”
that affects user behavior.
E.g. if someone decides he/she wants to get fit, a mobile
app which helps track everyday exercise, sets goals, and
makes tailored suggestions at opportune moments aligns
the user’s desire to get fit, with ‘society’s’ desire for a —Dan Lockton
healthier population.

32. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
Usability Persuasion
Let’s take the scale and add a second axis. This is the user’s
awareness of your intent as a designer.
Low

33. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
Usability Persuasion
Good Defaults
Has some persuasive effect, but intent is to aid usability.
User may have some awareness they are being guided, but
there is no overt intent identified about persuasion. Low

34. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
Usability Persuasion
Amazon
Good Defaults
One Click
There is value to user with Amazon One Click, but it’s
primarily intended to persuade.
Many people know that e-tail sites want to sell them
more stuff, they may have a sense that this feature aims to Low
do this, but the intent isn’t overt.

35. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
Usability Persuasion
Amazon
Good Defaults
One Click
Manipulation: all persuasion with no value to the user
Manipulation
Deception: covert in intentions Deception
Low
Stay away from this ethically mucky area.

36. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
iTunes
Usability Persuasion
Amazon
Good Defaults
One Click
Applications with high utility (iTunes, Gmail, Basecamp,
etc.). Intent of utility is fairly high, usually as part of value
Manipulation
proposition. (actual usability may vary from app to app, Deception
but it is intended to be usable as an aid, such as managing Low
your music library).

37. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
iTunes Green Goose
Usability Persuasion
Amazon
Good Defaults
One Click
Green Goose and similar products and services can be a
utility, but designed to have high effect (persuasive) on Manipulation
behavior change. Deception
Intent is typically made clear, usually in value proposition Low
(reduce your debt, get in shape, etc.)

38. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
iTunes Green Goose
Usability Persuasion
Amazon
Good Defaults
One Click
Let’s focus on this area and discuss two frameworks
Manipulation
for designing products and services intent on Deception
influencing behavior. Low

39. Behavior Change as
Intended Byproduct

40. Primary value proposition is as utility
or an aid.
System does not make explicit
recommendations.
Behavior (acting on data) is
self-determined.
Persuasion is at micro (feature) level.

41. Behavior Change as
Value Proposition

42. Primary value proposition is directly
related to behavior.
System makes explicit
recommendations.
Behavior change is measurable.
(not necessarily activities)
User has limited self-determination.

43. Both can be effective and have different value propositions. One will have broader
adoption due to wider range of utility. It may have lower rate of sustained behavior
change, but number could still be high do to high overall product usage.
The other is more narrowly focused on a specific problem, lower adoption, but higher
rate of sustained behavior change among users.

44. Awareness
(of intent, by the user)
High
Ready
for Zero
Mint
Usability Persuasion
Mint has more utility, and high awareness of it’s intent.
Ready for Zero will employ more persuasive techniques,
but also very high awareness of intent to persuade or Low
change behavior.

45. Robert
Cialdini

46. Commitment
and Consistency
The idea that once we commit to something, we have
internal pressures to follow through consistently with
our commitment.

47. Target a behavior goal
1-3 discreet behaviors max
Keep it simple
Use less laundry detergent
vs. reduce your carbon footprint
Create a story
May be literal, or metaphorical (data)

48. Khan Academy

49. Thousands of videos
Short, digestible chunks
Self assessment (no judgement from teacher or peers)
Immediate summary feedback
Game play to aide motivation

50. “
We should look at what kind
of impact people’s behavior
should have on design.
”
—Paola Antonelli

51. Framing Behavior Design
Chris Risdon
@livebysatellite
chris@adaptivepath.com
chrisrisdon.com