UX Myths about

Behavior Change

Baseball + Bat = $1.10

Bat costs $1 more than baseball

How much does baseball cost?

Baseball + Bat = $21.00

Bat costs $20 more than baseball

How much does baseball cost?

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SYSTEM 1

SYSTEM 2

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See the world through a behavioral lens.

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7 UX Myths Behavior Change

Actor

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Action Outcome(behavior change)

Behavior Change is only for changing lifestyle habits

MYTH

1

Three strategies for behavior change

1. Support conscious action2. Build habits (cue > routine > reward)3. Cheat (defaults, etc.)

SOURCE: “Designing for Behavior Change” Stephan Wendel

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Ask simple questions first

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The Puzzle SwitchLoove Broms and Karin Ehrnberger

Behavior Change cannot be measured

MYTH

2

Not everything that can be counted counts, and

not everything that counts can be counted.

-- Albert Einstein (but really it’s William Bruce Cameron)

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Key Metrics:

1. Outcome2. Action

(avoid self-reporting)

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in-product = easier

out-of-product = harder

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Cheat (find resources)

Build Testing Mechanism(A/B, “Data Bridge”)

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Science of Behavior Change is fairly new

MYTH

3

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It’s focused on getting people to do things they don’t want to doMYTH

4

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Radar Speed Limit Signs

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Behavior Change is owned by Behavioral ScientistsMYTH

5

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BehavioralEconomics

& Psychology

Data AnalysisProduct Dev

& UX

BehaviorChange

Good UXpractices have long focused on how to

enable users to take action

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“Behavioris our medium.”

-- Robert Fabricant

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create behavioral plans (aka customer journey)

MVA(Minimal Viable Action)

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Pre-conditions to Behavior Change“Designing for Behavior Change” -- Wendell

Behavior Sciences can predict behavior

MYTH

6

We assume that somehow users

find us, love what we’re doing, and

use ourproducts

whenever they want.

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(Hypothesis)

Prototype

Test

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Pre-conditions to Behavior Change“Designing for Behavior Change” -- Wendell

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Giving users information will change their behavior

MYTH

7

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How UX can use Behavior Sciences

1. Not just for habits2. Has to be measured3. Learn from new science 4. Not about trickery5. UX should lead6. Should try to predict7. Use persuasion principles

…some useful resourcesKNOWING USERS“Thinking Fast and Slow” Daniel Kaneman“Nudge” Richard Thaler“Influence: Psychology of Persuasion” Robert Cialdini“Predictably Irrational” Daniel Ariely

SETTING VISION“Designing for Behavior Change” Stephan Wendell

DESIGN“Evil By Design” Chris Nodder“Seductive Interaction Design (Mental Notes)” Stephen An-derson “Design with Intent” Dan Lockton“Designing for Emotion” Aaron Walter“Designing for the Social Web – Joshua Porter

TESTING“Measuring the User Experience” Tom Tullis

if everyone agrees on everything in a field then it's a dying field.-- bill buxton

Change what we do. And what our users can do.

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