How can you design logically to get better outcomes?
Knowing how the relationships work between the things that influence a behavior(s) and how you will design a solution for enabling that behavior not only allows you to easily re-evaluate the solution, but to also ensure that you followed the evidence and not just your gut.
For each solution you work on you can build these mini "logic models" which are also a great tool to use to communicate with stakeholders the work you are doing and the reasons why you chose a certain solution.
Let me illustrate with an example
Your product or service is having low engagement and you get asked by your stakeholders to find a solution to this challenge.
My approach and one we do with certain companies is to define the behaviors they were meant to be designed for and then based on those we would work backward to understand the solution and all the relationships they have to overcome the challenge of low engagement or adoption.
In this process, you end up uncovering that the solution isn't for example addressing the right barriers for the behavior that was focused on.
I know most organizations are under pressure to quickly deliver results, I've been on that side myself, getting asked to develop and deliver a service in record time with little resources, this causes us to ignore this logical approach to developing our solutions, but if we take the time and have it, we can use it to evaluate and to then take the time to improve it.
Ideally of course you would want to develop your solutions from the start in the right way, but that may not always be the case.
What are the advantages of a logic model? (Knowlton Lisa Wyatt et al The Logic Model Handbook:
-Develop a common language among stakeholders. -Offer highly participatory learning opportunities. -Document and emphasize explicit outcomes. -Clarify knowledge about what works and why. -Identify important variables to measure and enable more effective use of evaluation resources. -Provide a credible reporting framework. -Lead to improved design, planning, and management.
This example can show you a snippet of what could be used to build a mini-logic model that incorporates behavioral science.
It is part of the Behavior Design Framework that Elina Halonen had created.
You can learn about these and see examples in my Behavior Design Course: courses . aimforbehavior .com