Schedule

From Apple to Zynga, the best design solutions today change human behavior. Yet despite decades of research, challenges remain for people who design to influence. First, "persuasion" seems a dirty word. It shouldn't be. We should now embrace that we're in the business of behavior change. Next problem: conceptual confusion. The landscape of persuasion can be disorienting, muddied by impractical theories and over-hyped techniques. My new work provides a clear view of behavior change, including language that is simple yet accurate. Finally, I'll demonstrate how behavior change is a step-by-step process. This explains why one-shot solutions rarely achieve outcomes that matter most. To help designers and researchers succeed more often, my Stanford lab has created the "Behavior Wizard," which maps routes to the 15 ways behavior can change. Overall, despite the challenges in designing for persuasion, we would do well to face the growing need in today's world, as well as the unprecedented potential for success.