Behaviour  Change  Project  Design  Principles1    Understanding  the  Opportunity  for  Change  • Actively  look  for  examples  even  if  only  from  a  small  group  of  the  actions  already  occurring.  

This  will  signal  that  there  is  already  a  willingness  and  intention  to  take  action  • There   has   to   be   a   value   placed   on   behaviour   restrictions.   Look   at   examples   of   how   the  

community  sanctions  or  penalises  a  community  member  for  taking  on  a  unique  behaviour,  and  understand  what  the  core  rule  is  that  is  driving  the  community  response.    In  many  rural  communities   there   are   strong   norms   around   maintaining   your   position   within   the  community  hierarchy.  Behaviour  patterns  that  are  labelled  ‘individualistic’  can  threaten  this  norm   –   i.e   ‘tall   poppy’   or   pull-­‐him-­‐down   syndrome   (where   genuine   good   behaviours   are  resented,   attacked,   cut   down   or   criticised   because   their   talents   or   achievements   elevate  them  above  or  distinguish   them   from   their  peers).       If   this   is   known,   then   the   facilitation  tactics  used  can  be  adjusted  to  provide  the  right  mechanisms  for  widespread  adoption.    An  example   of   changing   tactics   is   by   moving   away   from   using   the   lead   farmer   model   to  demonstrate  new  farming  practices  and   towards  more  established  promotional   tools,   like  trial  packs,  promotional  discounts  and  contests  

 

Testing  and  Re-­‐design  • Identify  the  interventions  that  seem  most  feasible  and  useful,  roll  them  out  in  a  controlled  

way  in  a  small  pilot  program,  and  tracking  outcomes  will  inform  an  iterative  process  of  re-­‐design  

• Prototyping  and  a  willingness  to  experiment  and  tweak  are  crucial.  Over  time,  this  will  lead  to  an   intervention  or  a  small   set  of   interventions   that  are  both  psychologically  sound  and  administratively  and  logistically  feasible  

 

Sequencing  and  Combining  The  design  principles  are  useful  to  understand  separately.  However,  to  ramp  up  adoption  it   is  critical  to  combine  and  sequence  them.        

                                                                                                                         1  Adapted  from  Datta,  S.,  and  Mullainathan,  S.  (2012),  ‘Behavioral  Design  A  New  Approach  to  Development’,  Center  for  Global  Development,  CGD  Policy  Paper  016  November  2012      

Example:      

A   buyer   of   sorghum   can   develop   contracts   to   include   an   agreement   for   all   farmers   that  payments   will   be   made   in   instalments   and   will   include   a   payment   of   school   fees   and   pre-­‐payment  for  next  year’s  inputs.  (To  opt-­‐out  of  this,  famers  would  have  to  specifically  write  that  they  do  not  want   to  participate   in   these  programmes.)  This  agreement  could  be   followed  up  with  reminders  and  micro-­‐incentives  (possibly  via  e-­‐coupons)  to  get  farmers  to  plan  ahead  and  carry  out  specific  tasks  on  their  farm.    The  e-­‐coupon  incentives  could  be  in  the  form  of  discount  on  a  service  that  will  facilitate  the  task.    The  reminders  could  be  framed  to  imply  most  farmers  are  already  doing  the  task  i.e.  “Don’t  be  the  last  one  to  get  your  weeding  done!”      At  the  end  of  the  season,  a  sorghum  day  event  can  be  held  to  reward  sorghum  club  members,  and  give  them  the  opportunity  to  explain  how  easy   it  was   for   their   fellow  farmers  to  become  members  too.    The   local   radio   can   host   the   event,   and   all   presenters   can   clearly   focus   on   the   benefits   of  growing  sorghum  and  being  a  member  of  the  sorghum  club.          In   this   scenario,   all   the   principles   have   been   applied:   principle   1   (signing   a   contract   to  make  commitment   easier);   principle   2   (instalment   payments   to   reduce   the   need   for   self-­‐control);  principle   3   (contract   makes   the   payment   process   the   default   option);   principle   4   (SMS  reminders   and   e-­‐coupons   to   offer  micro-­‐incentives);   principle   5   (SMS   reminders);   principle   6  (sorghum   day   and   messaging   on   social   and   economic   benefits);   and   principle   7   (reminder  messaging  and  testimonial  messaging).