Experience Design

Positive Behaviour Modification is a Matter of thoughtful design.

Behaviour modification fundamentally means making someone do something that they are not habituated to doing.

For years this has been attempted through various means – starting from  childhood,  school -in professional domain, in a society in relationships.

From the simple Carrot & stick, soft bribe, cajole to the more complex auto suggestion, ridicule, threat and  even physical violence, different methods have been used.

While all these may have worked to whatever extent, and there is no judgment about good or bad , here,  just from an objective view, do behaviours change – long term?

Before we begin any attempt to shift behaviours

Two questions to ask:

1. Is it Love based or Fear based:

            Which means the “experience” of this modification does it make the individual feel good and happy about himself? Or does it make him feel bad and guilty. There is enough research about how Oxytocin,  popularly know as the love hormone, is associated with boosting trust and Empathy – and makes you want to do the action even more.

On the other hand – fear pushes Cortisol hormone which pushes the body in a fight/flight mode, an indicator os stress and does not want to make you do something’s unless you have to . It  creates unpleasant and unhappy feeling . 

2. Is it Intrinsic :

Do they Want to or do they Have to  - Which means does it come from “Inside” – voluntarily from a Happy place – because this will then ensure repeatability and eventually create a habit. And, more importantly -  does the Individual fundamentally change as a human being in doing that action.

The Shift :

A Simple Mental Model to adopt while thinking about a solution is that:

Human Beings fundamentally want to contribute – They just don’t know how.

Experience Design can play a big role in Capitalising this perspective and building the experience around it. Irrespective of what the behaviour shift is.

3  Steps to Behaviour modification  through Experience Design:

 1. No Sermon

There is NO moral imperative attached – Most people KNOW what is good and bad, right and wrong – so you are not adding to anything – except – guilt. Because this ends up making people feel  wrong- small and bad. How can you do Good when you are feeling Bad?. I know this from experience, I have an 18yr. old son.

2. Link

Undesired behaviour “linked” through experience design into  positive impact. Create a correlation between  how a  single act of theirs is Creating an Impact, a positive one on the world outside – no matter how small. It's the classic Star fish story.

(In the attached Video the undesired: behaviour of using plastic bottles, and littering - Positive impact – feeding a dog)

3.Make it Visible

Often people are numbed to feedback loops – positive or negative – They feel their behaviour only, at the most impacts them. And if they can live with the cost – It’s OK. If the distance between action and their positive impact is shortened  AND made visible. – if people can literally SEE how their small actions can actually create contribution  - they are intrinsically motivated to DO that behaviour more – because we are hardwired for “giving” and wanting to make a difference.

Use of Plastic Bottles – Littering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8WxtuhiaJY

Donating for a child

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgUFUNguGeI