What are the core principles of Behaviour Thinking? (And how to use them)
What are the core principles of Behaviour Thinking? (And how to use them)
In our previous article we’ve talked about why Behaviour Thinking matters, let’s dig into the good stuff: the core principles. These are the building blocks that make Behaviour Thinking such a game-changer.
“When you leverage behaviour for strategic advantage, you’re not just reacting to problems—you’re anticipating them. Behaviour Thinking gives you the clarity to shape outcomes and drive lasting impact in a way that’s both ethical and effective.
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Think of these principles as tools in your toolkit. When used right, they help you understand people better and influence behavior in meaningful ways. Whether you’re designing an app, leading a team, or planning a project, these ideas will make your work sharper, more strategic, and—most importantly—more human.
Principle 1: Drivers, Outcomes, and Levers
The first principle is all about understanding why people do what they do. This breaks down into three parts:
Drivers: What motivates people? Is it a desire for security, the need for convenience, or maybe social approval?
Outcomes: What’s the result of that motivation? Does it lead to them signing up for your newsletter, joining a meeting, or abandoning their cart?
Levers: What small changes can you make to influence their behavior?
Example in Action:
Imagine you’re a designer working on a fitness app. You notice that most users drop off after a week. Behaviour Thinking would encourage you to dig into the drivers. Are people losing motivation because they don’t see progress fast enough? If that’s the case, you could introduce a daily streak feature as a lever to keep them coming back. Small tweak, big difference.
Pro Tip: Always ask yourself: “What’s driving this behaviour, and where’s my lever for change?” It keeps your strategy focused.
Principle 2: Hidden Behaviours
Not all behaviors are obvious. Some of the most important ones are hidden, lurking beneath the surface and quietly impacting outcomes. Behaviour Thinking teaches you to spot these sneaky behaviors that often get missed.
Lauren Alys Kelly once worked with a client who was struggling with high staff turnover. On the surface, it looked like people were leaving for better salaries elsewhere. But a closer look revealed a hidden behaviour: employees weren’t taking breaks because they felt guilty, leading to burnout. The solution? A simple policy change that encouraged regular breaks and improved retention.
How to Apply It:
Whether you’re analyzing user behavior or team dynamics, look for the less obvious actions. Maybe your app’s onboarding process is clear, but users don’t engage with it because they’re distracted. Or perhaps your team meetings seem productive, but people are quietly multitasking. Spot the hidden behaviors, and you’ll find new opportunities for change.
Principle 3: Behaviour Traits
All behaviors have traits that affect how easy or hard they are to change. The main traits to consider are:
Frequency: How often does this behavior occur?
Consistency: Is it a regular habit or something more sporadic?
Complexity: Is it a simple action, like clicking a button, or something more involved, like writing a report?
Readiness to Change: Are people open to change, or are they stuck in their ways?
Practical Example for Team Leaders:
Say your team is struggling to stick to a new project management tool. Using Behaviour Thinking, you might realize the behavior (using the tool) is infrequent and complex. The fix? Start with small, consistent steps, like a daily check-in that gets everyone used to the platform before diving into all its features.
If you notice that users frequently abandon your website’s checkout page, that’s a high-frequency behavior worth tackling. Simplify the checkout steps to remove friction. Complexity can be a deal-breaker, so make the process as smooth as possible.
Pro Tip: When evaluating behaviors, ask: “Is this a habit or a one-off action? How hard will it be to change?” This will guide your approach.
Principle 4: Behaviour as a Journey
People don’t just make decisions in a vacuum. Behaviour is a journey, influenced by what came before and what comes after. To create lasting change, you need to think beyond individual moments and consider the full journey.
Example in Product Design:
Imagine you’re designing a meal kit delivery service. Behaviour Thinking suggests mapping out the customer’s journey—from signing up and choosing meals to cooking and leaving a review. Maybe you notice that the journey falls apart when people forget to select their meals, leading to frustration. A gentle reminder (at the right time) could make all the difference.
Example for Team Leaders:
If your goal is to boost meeting participation, think about the whole journey. Maybe people don’t contribute because they didn’t feel prepared ahead of time. A simple fix could be sending out discussion points a day before, so everyone has time to reflect.
Pro Tip: Use journey mapping to understand each stage where behavior could be influenced. It’ll help you spot opportunities and prevent drop-offs.
Principle 5: Ethics as Strategy
Influencing behavior is powerful, but it comes with responsibility. Behaviour Thinking emphasizes using ethics as a strategic tool. If your approach isn’t ethical, it won’t build trust—and without trust, any change you create will be short-lived.
A popular social media platform once came under fire for using dark patterns (manipulative design tricks) to get users to share more data. It worked initially, but trust plummeted, and users left in droves. Behaviour Thinking always stresses the importance of ethical design that respects people’s choices.
How to Apply It:
If you’re designing an app, be transparent about data usage. If you’re leading a team, be upfront about your goals. The most effective behavior change is built on trust, not manipulation.
Pro Tip: Ask yourself, “Would I be comfortable if someone used this tactic on me?” If the answer is no, rethink your approach.
Principle 6: Strategic Communication
Last but not least, communication. The best behavioural insights mean nothing if you can’t share them clearly. Your strategies need to resonate with the people you’re trying to influence, and that starts with speaking their language.
Example for Designers:
If your app redesign is based on Behaviour Thinking, explain the changes to your team in simple, relatable terms. Instead of saying, “We used behavioral insights,” say, “We made the sign-up process easier because we found that users were dropping off when it felt too complicated.”
Example for Team Leaders:
When rolling out a new initiative, communicate why it matters. Instead of saying, “We’re using this new workflow tool,” try, “We’re simplifying how we work to make our days less stressful and more productive.”
Pro Tip: Use storytelling. People connect with stories more than stats, so make your communication memorable.
Wrapping Up: Making Behaviour Thinking Work for You
These core principles—Drivers, Hidden Behaviours, Behaviour Traits, Behaviour as a Journey, Ethics, and Strategic Communication—are the foundation of Behaviour Thinking. Lauren built this methodology to help us make better, more thoughtful decisions, whether we’re designing products or leading teams.
The best part? You don’t need to be a psychologist to use Behaviour Thinking. Start small. Pick one principle and think about how you can apply it today. Over time, you’ll find that this approach makes your work not only more effective but also more human.
