Talk to the Elephant: Design for Behavior Change

Julie Dirksen

Frequently, learning design is about showing people how to do the right things, but actually getting them to change their behavior can be another story. It’s particularly challenging to get people to change those intractable habits and behaviors that everyone struggles to avoid, despite the wealth of available information about better choices.

This session will explore how to design with behavior change in mind. You will examine behavior change from a number of different angles, using techniques from the fields of neuroscience, behavioral economics, behavioral psychology, persuasive technology, user experience, and even game design.

In this session, you will learn:

• How to identify and understand the barriers to behavior change

• Ways to design solutions that don’t just inform learners, but also inspire behavior change

• How to use specific models and techniques for designing a change effort