Minor Behavior Design
Three behavioural interventions where psychology, ethics and design come together to help people make better choices without noticing.
The challenge
This minor is all about human behaviour. How do you get people to take a desired action without forcing them? Using psychological theories and the SUE Behavioral Design Canvas, I learned to steer behaviour through design. I’m applying this in three very different projects. The minor is still running: two projects are finished, and I’m working on the third right now.
My role
I made Psych Deck on my own; More from Less (the bootcamp) and GVB Ferry are group projects. I did user research with empathy maps and the SUE framework, developed concepts, built the Figma prototype for the app and checked the ideas for ethics with the Tarot Cards of Tech.
Three projects
Psych Deck
Individual · completed
Psychological theories are often abstract. How do you make them usable for digital designers?
The answer became an interactive card game. Each card links a user frustration, such as “Lazy”, “Scared” or “Overwhelmed”, to a solution and a behavioural principle, such as the default effect or loss aversion. That way you turn theory straight into design decisions.
More from Less
Bootcamp, group project · completed
How do you help people make fewer impulse purchases, without making them feel guilty or taking away their freedom of choice?
We made a personal fashion magazine and an app, based entirely on the clothes you already own. In the app you scan your own clothes and get upcycling tips and surprising outfit combinations. Short moments of reflection help you build more self-confidence.
GVB Ferry
Group project · in progress
During the busiest rush hour, the Amsterdam ferry at Buiksloterweg gets congested because passengers, especially cyclists in a hurry, stay at the front. How do you get them to the empty spots without them noticing?
We are working on two concepts based on multimodal priming and social proof: walking routes on the quay, and LED markings on the ferry’s floor, combined with positive announcements that guide the flow of passengers in the right direction.
What I learned
A behavioural intervention only works if it taps into unconscious routines, the so-called System 1. As soon as you force people with strict rules or a pushy interface, they push back. Steering through design feels like a superpower, as long as you use it ethically.