Imagine a world where reaching for an apple over a bag of chips is as effortless as breathing, where mindful shopping is second nature, and where hitting the gym is a source of eager anticipation, not dread. This is the exciting realm of behavior change, the art of gently nudging people toward making healthier, more sustainable, and ultimately better choices in their lives. Welcome to the exciting universe of "designing for behavior change," a multidisciplinary field that seamlessly weaves together psychology and design to shape the way we act.
At its core, behavior change is about delving into the intricacies of what makes us tick - our habits, motivations, and triggers - and then artfully crafting environments, products, or experiences that inspire positive actions.
It's like becoming a master puppeteer, skillfully manipulating the strings that guide us toward a more desirable path. So, you might be wondering, how do we, as designers, create this path for our users? Let's start with the cornerstone of behavior change: motivation.
Motivation & Design
We all remember from school that not all motivation is created equal. There's "controlled" motivation, often used by teachers and parents, driven by rewards and punishments. And then there's the sweet allure of "intrinsic" motivation of playing games and having fun, the kind that springs from our own desires. The key takeaway? The more autonomous and internal the motivation, the more enduring and resilient it becomes.
Great summary from Brand Genetics on The ARC of motivation, adapted from “Engaged: Designing for behavior change”
As product creators, we have the power to influence intrinsic motivation by aligning our desired outcomes with what truly matters to our users.
The secret lies in supporting their basic psychological needs: autonomy (feeling in control), relatedness (feeling connected), and competence (feeling accomplished).
Think of these as the fuel that powers motivation. This is where the self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation comes into play, guiding our quest to understand what truly motivates people.
1. Designing for autonomy
Autonomy, the innate desire for control over our destinies, is a fundamental psychological need. As designers, we can nurture this need by offering meaningful choices to users. However, it's crucial to remember that an abundance of trivial choices can be overwhelming. What truly ignites motivation is empowering users to make significant decisions, such as defining their goals within a program. Zero, a fasting & health tracker app, excels at this by guiding users through the most common goals to help them recognize the ones that matter most.
Zero app onboarding flow
2. Progress & Feedback
Competence, the desire to see progress, fuels our motivation. People thrive on evidence that their actions yield results. To cater to this need, designers must create effective feedback systems and eliminate obstacles to success.
Designers can satisfy the hunger for progress by providing immediate feedback after each action, letting users know if they were successful and how to improve if not. Cumulative feedback illustrates progress over time, highlighting how small actions accumulate into substantial results. Combining both types of feedback helps users maintain their commitment to behavior change, even in the face of setbacks or plateaus.
Feedback screens from Lose It!, Klima, and Fitbit apps
In the intricate tapestry of behavior change design projects, a crucial phase involves uncovering the obstacles that may hinder people from successfully adopting new behaviors. This investigative journey leads us to employ sophisticated frameworks like COM-B (which stands for capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior). These powerful tools serve as our compass, guiding designers as they unearth the barriers that stand in the way of positive change, allowing us to craft ingenious solutions that pave the path to success.
Great summary from Brand Genetics on COM-B, adapted from “Engaged: Designing for behavior change”
3. Fostering relatedness
Humans crave connection, seeking to be part of something larger than themselves. Designers can kindle this sense of relatedness by creating emotionally resonant products and facilitating community-building opportunities.
Personalization, triggered by user data, can help people feel understood by technology without crossing into creepy territory. It's about being transparent with users about how their data contributes to personalized outputs. This personal touch can create profound moments of connection, akin to a "magic moment" transition in digital health coaching products.
The "magic moment" from Lifesum
Whether it's encouraging people to quit smoking, adopt a greener lifestyle, or simply remember to floss, designing for behavior change is all about those "aha" moments. It's the transformation of aspirations into actions and intentions into habits. What sets this type of design apart is that success isn't measured by app installs, purchases, or time spent in an app; it's measured by the improvement in human lives. So, as designers, we hold the keys to a world where healthier, happier choices are not just a dream but a reality.