Yes, and: coupling behavioral science with design thinking to create more impactful products
I can't pinpoint the exact moment I first discovered Design Thinking (it was probably during my early Target days, about 15 years ago), but I know I was instantly hooked. I devoured everything I could get my hands on - the books, the classes, the blogs, you name it. And boy, did it work! I've design-thought my way through everything from streamlining multi-person wedding gift purchases to making truck drivers' daily task list less painful (I even convinced several squads of Amazon engineers to humor me for a day of design thinking on that last one!).
But increasingly, I’ve had this nagging feeling that we might be leaving something on the table. As I've spent the past few years helping people understand and build credit, this hunch has really come into focus. We did all the "right" things - conducted in-depth interviews, analyzed surveys, created personas, ran co-creation workshops. We checked all the design thinking boxes. And things were...okay? But I couldn't shake the feeling that we were just scratching the surface of what was REALLY going on beneath the surface of our users.
The Thing About Money (And Pretty Much Everything Else)
People would tell us, "Just tell me exactly what I need to do, and I'll do it!" But as you probably know, it's never that simple. Money is complicated. Our relationship with money is complicated. And here's the kicker - people often don't do what they say they'll do, even when you make it super easy for them. Even when you design it WITH them!
IDEO says design thinking brings together what's "desirable from a human point of view" with what's “technically feasible and economically viable.” But typically, at least in my experience, we limit "desirability" to what users consciously want and tell us. We might note emotions or nonverbals during interviews, but that's really only scratching the surface of the full iceberg of what's happening behind the scenes.
As our world grows increasingly complex and the problems we tackle become thornier, I've started wondering if we're going deep enough in our solutioning. Are we creating the best possible outcomes, or are we settling for "good enough"?
How might we go beyond identifying simply what is consciously desirable for our users, and push deeper and broader to also understand what might be happening below the surface, or unconsciously? Because I believe that only when we consider the full picture - what’s happening with the full brain - can we truly unlock the potential for maximum impact.
Enter: Behavioral Science
One potential tool we could leverage more consistently to close this gap is Behavioral Science. Behavioral Science is the interdisciplinary field that studies human actions, thoughts, and emotions to understand why people behave the way they do and how they interact with their environment. Many of you are probably familiar with “nudges” and “habit loops” - concepts that have become prominent in Product circles in the past decade or so. But Behavioral Science goes much deeper and broader. It draws from the fields of cognitive science, sociology, psychology, anthropology and neuroscience with the goal of having a truly interdisciplinary view of human behavior.
But where to start? Well, in lieu of writing a novel, I’m just going to highlight a few BeSci theories here and demonstrate how we might leverage them to create better solutions. Hopefully it will pique your curiosity enough to go and dive into this rich world yourself!
Ready for your crash course? Here we go -
Attribution Theory & Locus of Control
Attribution Theory explores how people interpret and assign causes to events and behaviors. It helps explain how individuals make sense of their own actions and those of others. Let’s double-click on one of my favorite concepts under Attribution Theory: Locus of Control.
Locus of Control
An individual’s Locus of Control consists of 3 concentric circles -
Things one can control - like their thoughts, actions and decisions
Things one can influence - like other people’s thoughts, actions and decisions
Things one cannot control - like the economy, traffic, the weather
So what does this look like in the real world? In the context of money management or building credit, Locus of Control plays a significant role in how individuals perceive their ability to manage finances. Someone with an internal locus might believe that their credit score is directly influenced by their actions. For example, they might say, "I improved my credit score because I created a budget, paid my bills on time, and managed my debt responsibly." They feel empowered to take charge of their situation through specific behaviors.
On the other hand, someone with an external locus might believe that external factors are largely responsible for their situation. They could say something like, "My credit score is bad because the economy is tough, and I can’t control what the banks decide." They may feel that building credit is out of their hands, relying more on circumstances or blaming bad luck rather than taking ownership of their financial habits.
2. Temporal Discounting
Temporal Discounting
The tendency for people to devalue rewards or benefits received in the future compared to those available immediately.
Studied to understand how people make decisions over time (especially when it involves weighing immediate rewards against delayed ones)
Can explain real-world behaviors such as procrastination, impulsivity, saving for retirement, and decision-making around dieting or exercise.
Let’s say someone is deciding between paying off a credit card balance or spending that money on a last minute mid-winter beach vacation (which I for sure have never done!). Temporal discounting can cause them to focus on the immediate gratification of taking the vacation, despite knowing that paying off the credit card would benefit their financial future more. The allure of the short-term reward (lying on the beach in the sun next week) outweighs the future benefit of being debt-free and improving their credit score - even though the long-term benefit there is much bigger.
3. Self-determination Theory
This one is a biggie. This framework focuses on human motivation and the factors that help people feel more motivated, engaged, and fulfilled (no big deal). It’s based on the idea that humans have three basic psychological needs that, when satisfied, promote well-being and growth:
Autonomy: This is the need to feel in control of your own actions and decisions. People are more motivated when they feel like they’re making choices that align with their own values and interests, rather than being forced into something.
Competence: This is the desire to feel capable and effective in what you’re doing. When people experience success or mastery, they’re more likely to stay motivated and push themselves further.
Relatedness: This is the need to feel connected to others, to have meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging. When people feel supported by others, they are more motivated to engage in tasks and activities.
In our building credit example, to feel competent, our user needs to believe they are capable of successfully managing their credit. A product that helps them track their progress and provides clear, positive feedback (like, notifications that show their credit score increasing or acknowledging timely payments) will boost their sense of competence. The more they feel they are improving and mastering the credit-building process, the more motivated they become to continue. In simple terms, Self-determination Theory suggests that if you create environments where people feel autonomous, competent, and connected, they’re more likely to thrive and maintain intrinsic motivation (motivation that comes from within).
Making It Work: Practical Application
So how do we actually use this stuff in our design thinking process? Try employing behavioral science theories early in the Design Thinking process instead of waiting for the more-obvious solutioning phases (where habit loops, nudges, et. al. come in).
While Empathizing, look beyond what users say to understand their attribution styles, time preferences, and psychological needs. What unconscious factors might be influencing their behavior?
Watch for how users explain their successes and failures (Attribution Theory)
Notice their preference for immediate vs. delayed gratification (Temporal Discounting)
Assess whether their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are being met (SDT)
Then during the Define phase, continue with your behavioral science lens and try to frame the problems with those insights in mind. For example, instead of just asking "How might we simplify the credit-building process?", try questions like:
"How might we design an interface that empowers individuals to feel in control of building their credit?"
"How might we make long-term benefits feel more immediate and tangible?"
"How might we create experiences that enhance users' sense of autonomy and competence?"
What This Means For Us
You might be thinking, “That’s all well & good, but my design thinking process is a well-oiled machine - why should I mess with a good thing?” To that I say, YES, AND! We've done great work collectively by applying and evangelizing Design Thinking, but let’s keep pushing! Products that resonate with users both consciously and unconsciously are stickier. Not to mention that tapping into these unconscious behaviors can cause us to view problems from a completely different angle, leading to those exciting breakthrough moments we all live for.
Three Key Takeaways
Consider broadening your scope of "desirability" to include both conscious and unconscious influences on behavior.
I barely scratched the surface of Behavioral Science here. I implore you to go explore this vast and deeply rich area for yourself. Here is a great place to start.
While behavioral science can enhance every phase of Design Thinking, I think the biggest opportunity for disruptive thinking is to start first in the early phases of Empathize and Define.
The Design Thinking process has served us well, but it's time to push further. By incorporating behavioral science insights, we can create solutions that don't just solve surface-level problems but resonate deeply with users' underlying needs and motivations. I truly believe it can help us create solutions that don't just work, but really make a difference in people's lives.