This week: One Book, Empathy Maps, Behavioral Journeys, Frameworks update

Hi everyone :)

Here are my thoughts and insights for this week's newsletter

One Book: Addiction by Design

The book by Natasha Dow Schüll explores the science and psychology behind gambling addiction, with a particular focus on the role of technology and game design in promoting compulsive behavior.

Here are some of the main takeaways and themes of the book:

• The book focuses on the design of electronic slot machines, which are highly addictive due to their ability to create a "zone" or "flow" state in the player. This state is characterized by a loss of self-awareness and an intense focus on the game.
• The author argues that slot machines are not simply a form of entertainment, but rather a form of technology that is designed to exploit human psychology and behavior in order to generate revenue for the casino industry.
• The author suggests that addiction is not simply a matter of personal choice or weakness, but rather a complex interaction between biology, environment, and social factors.
• The book describes the way that electronic gambling machines are designed to keep players engaged for longer periods of time.
• This includes the use of sensory cues such as flashing lights and sound effects, as well as the design of the machines themselves, which are often large and brightly colored in order to attract attention.

Empathy Maps

If an Empathy Map is made to help designers understand users, how are you designing for the user without understanding psychology and behavior?

I'm really trying to make sure that the tools we use as designers are actually there to serve us and not to be pretty artifacts.

Above is an empathy map (or a version of one).

The quadrant and information that can exist inside of it can be very powerful for understanding people:

(I'm not sure I like the empathy framing though..but that's another subject).

Let's analyze here:

-?Behaviors:?These are actions, observable - this is what your customer/ employee is doing within an experience

-?Thinking/Saying:?What is the customer/employee thinking about the experience and saying

-?Feeling:?Emotions that are felt or expressed

You can map all this in whatever variety of empathy framework you want to use, this one or any other. (add pain and relievers, vitamins, minerals, essential oils... you get it)

I have no issue with the quadrant of the framework, but I keep asking myself, what is actually being done with the information from a real psychological or behavioral change perspective to get better outcomes in a design?

The answer in most cases, is.... nothing? Or worse, we do use it to design for people without an evidence base.

The question becomes, how can I design for behavior and psychology... without an evidence base? - because this is what seems to happen (I've done this in the past, so I'm guilty of it as well).

So, what would I do with the data today - now that I have competence in behavior change?

1) Fill your board with intention - create your questions based on something like COM-B or the Theoretical Domains Framework, so you can then code the answers.

Too late to do this, that's ok, you can still code your existing information.

The outcome you want is to understand what is driving the "doing" part.

2) Once I have the influences coded, then the work begins (COM-B is not the end of your behavior insights, it's just the beginning).

Let's say you code an influence as "have a fear of something", that would be an emotion that would fall under the automatic motivation barrier or Emotion domain under TDF.

3) Take that barrier and map it over to the intervention type and then from there see which behavior change techniques could be used to ideate a solution.

It doesn't have to be hard or complicated, you can learn this and apply it to deliver better outcomes (I have a basics course you can take) but you can also just read the journals or?the books on it)

There is no question in my mind that design and behavior are better together - one complements the other and vice versa.

?Behind the Scenes Insights

• Last week I worked with a team on a training where we used Systems Mapping, the Behavior Change Wheel and Journey Mapping, as we go from a complex problem (using systems mapping) to untangling the problem (using the Behavior change wheel) to journey mapping (systematic and linear way to design solutions).
• I really like this approach and find it helps teams understand how to go from finding the behavioral opportunities to designing for them at the right step of the journey.
• I also wrote a bit more on Journeys and Behavior -?Read here
• If you have questions about the process or want to work with me on journey mapping and behavior reach out?via DM on my profile Robert Meza

Behavioral Science and Innovation Frameworks Update

I have moved my frameworks over to a single platform to make it easy for you to stay updated with all the new things I create and share.

The frameworks and resources remain free, all you have to do is create an account and provide your email:?Get your free access here

These are the current frameworks available:

1.The Big Bias Board

Over 50 Biases with both written and visual examples.

2.Behavior Design Strategy Framework:

A Framework that helps combine Behavioral Science and Human Centred Design.

3.Innovation Framework:

Combines Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) and Behavioral Science / COM-B/ Behavior Change Wheel.

4.Concept Card:

A good way to validate your concepts before going to the next phase.

5.Behavior Audit/Journey Framework:

Journey template that includes COM-B Components.

6.Behavior Design Canvas

A way to visualize your strategy.

7.Behavior Change Techniques (BCTTv1)

93 Behavior Change Techniques you can use to ideate possible concepts and solutions for your interventions.

8.Habits/Routines Framework

Understand the role of habits and routines that can help your team organization be more successful and better aligned.

9.Behavior Science & Innovation Database (NEW)

A database with interesting articles, papers and resources.

10.Heart Framework (NEW)

A metrics framework developed by Google

I’ll also be uploading short videos from time to time explaining concepts and frameworks -Get your free access

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That's it for this week, see you all next week.

As always, do leave any comments you think will help improve this newsletter.

Best, Robert

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P.S - When ever you are ready, these are the ways I can help you:

1)?Get my?Behavior Design Basics Course: If you are looking to learn to use Behavior Science in a project

2) If you want to work with me on a Behavioral Design or Innovation projects --->?email me?[email protected]