design thinking & nudge creative workshop 20th — 21st January 2014
Cognitive Science Choice Architecture Behavioural Insights Behavioural Architecture Behavioural Economics Behavioural Science
nudge Choice Architecture
Behavioural Insights
Nudging is a way of triggering behavioural change in people to encourage compliance. It is essentially concerned with human behaviour and its study. Coined by Thaler & Sunstein in his book of the same name, nudge encompasses various research fields, including behavioural sciences, behavioural economics, choice architecture and cognitive science. Today, we see its relevance in management and governance, as a method to improve the way we design our systems and services. “Nudge units” have been established within governments, with the role of investigating and affecting policies through a ground-up approach. In the private sector, nudging or “behavioural economics”, is often used to improve profits.
How can we nudge habits and behaviour to create social, environmental and economical impact?
To find out more: www.designincubationcentre.com/nudge
In collaboration with Hongik University, International Design School for Advanced Studies (IDAS), and NUS Design Incubation Centre (DIC), a 2 day creative workshop was conducted to explore and exchange methodologies on Nudge and Design Thinking. Behavioural design cards and methods designed by the Design Incubation Centre were shared and used during the workshop while PhD student from IDAS shared their work on Design Thinking for Businesses. 2 Uniquely Singaporean topics were selected for the workshop where participants had to identify design and nudge opportunities in these areas. The topics are Tray return in hawker centres & Moving in for others on public transport. Participants had the chance to carry out observation work through experiencing the Singapore culture of both Public Transport and Hawker Centres. Brainstorming sessions were then held to discuss how we can nudge for change in these areas. The 2 day workshop was a great opportunity for both IDAS and DIC to connect, share thoughts and exchange ideas on Nudge and Design Thinking.
Implementation Timeline One of our tools in the Nudge toolkit is the Implementation Timeline sheet. The tool was designed to help participants categorise all their nudge ideas into Short, Medium and Long Term Implementations. After categorising the ideas, participants can then select which timeline of ideas they would like to work on and prototype. In most cases, we would suggest groups to select the ideas that fall towards the Short Term range. This is because these nudge ideas can be implemented and tested quickly for results. Also, successful nudge ideas tend to be quick and easy to implement.
Short Term
Mid Term
Long Term
Tray Return in Hawker Centres Singapore has many public eating spaces with the most popular being the Hawker Centre. The Hawker Centre has a communal and open concept where customers self-serve, select food from a large variety of stalls and sit anywhere they like. A pressing issue in these hawker centres, however, is the lack of customer’s initiative to return their finished bowls, trays and utensils to the “Tray Return Point”. This results in unsightly tables and a stressful amount of work for the cleaners, who are usually elderly workers. How might we nudge hawker centre patrons to return their trays to the ‘Tray Return Point’ after their meals?
Why do people not return their trays? 1.
“Because nobody does it, I don’t have to also”
2.
“There is no tray return point”
3.
“I can’t see the tray return point”
4.
“I’m lazy to walk to the tray return point”
5.
“The hawker is already messy, so it doesn’t matter if I don’t clear my tray”
6.
Lack of ownership for the hawker centre
7.
Lack of responsibility to keep the hawker centre clean
8.
“Not having to clear our trays” is already an innate custom
9.
Waiting for the cleaning lady to clear is already an innate custom
10. There is no penalty for not clearing trays
Tray Return in Hawker Centres
Quick Idea Generation | Short-term Implementation
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Use statistics to gain empathy towards hawker cleaners, hence nudging desired outcome. Eg. “Do you know that a hawker cleaner cleans an average of 500plates an hour?”
2
Change the public’s mindsets of cleaners to one of a service staff instead. Have cleaners verbally welcome hawker patrons and redirect them to tray return stations. A shift in job scope- ensure cleanliness.
4
Introduce a sense of surprise with a reward with each tray returned. A fortune cookie; both a treat and a surprise that can be easily distributed.
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Giving patrons stamps when they return their trays. By retuning up to 10 times, they can get a discount for their food.
A camera can be installed on top of the tray return point and a picture of the customer will be taken when they return their trays. This helps to create a sense of surprise and a pleasant experience when returning trays!
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Giving patrons a free lottery/chance ticket whenever they return their trays.
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Creating a campaign and endorsing celebrities to return their trays.
Giving patrons a free lottery/chance ticket whenever they return their trays.
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8 People tend to try and keep already clean looking tables clean. Have stark white table tops so any presence of dirt will be highlighted.
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Placing contrasting images on tables to show the benefits of having a clean table, and the cons of not clearing their trays.
Placing posters around hawkers to show contrasting images of a clean and dirty hawker.
Recruiting volunteers to be good examples and clear their trays at hawker centres. Based on the bandwagon effect, patrons might begin clearing their trays when they see others also doing so.
Tray Return in Hawker Centres
Tray Return in Hawker Centres
Quick Idea Generation | Mid-term Implementation
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Highlight positive examples, make tray return a surprising activity. The 100th hawker patron who returned his/ her tray gets a shout out and a reward.
Encourage hawker patrons to clear and return trays back to hawker stalls. Each returned tray doubles up as a charitable act.
Quick Idea Generation | Long-term Implementation
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Amplify positive examples by placing tray return stations on higher platforms. This encourages others and the individual returning the tray.
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Assigning stall owners to be responsible for an area of tables. If the tables are not clean, the stall owners will be penalised.
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By creating a sense of ownership to hawker centres, cooking classes can be organised for hawkers to teach and cook with their customers.
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Reward patrons who return their trays with a immediate discount to a drink, valid only within the next 5 minutes.
Trays are placed at the hawker centre’s entrance instead of with the stalls. Each hawker patrons collects a tray before entering with a deposit of $1 which will only be refunded upon tray return.
Redesign hawker tables to incorporate tray return carts. Hawker patrons can easily clear their tables while cleaners don’t have to manoeuvre around to clear hawker tables. Instead, straight route can be taken.
Redesign the layout of hawker centres to have stalls surrounded by tables where their patrons can enjoy meals from a particular stall. This eliminates the need of a food tray. Used cutlery can also be quickly cleared with ease.
2
The perimeter of the hawker centres will be surrounded with barriers with several entry points. Gantries are built at entry points where trays should also be returned before one can exit.
4
People tend to have the habit of getting a thirst quencher and wash their hands after a meal. Having the tray return area stationed next to it may nudge people to conveniently return and clear their trays.
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Installing a system where patrons cannot stand up until they have carried and remove their trays.
Moving in for others on Public Transport There are 2 major modes of public transportation in Singapore, the public bus and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). A pertinent issue in both the bus and MRT is the problem of commuters not moving into the centre of the train car, or the back of the bus. Commuters tend to crowd around the doors of the vehicle, making it difficult for other commuters to enter. This situation is extremely problematic during peak hours. How might we nudge commuters to move into the centre of the train car or rear of the bus?
Why do people not move into the centre of trains? 1.
Want to get out of the train more conveniently
2.
There’s no seat inside anyway
3.
“I want to get home more quickly!”
4.
“I don’t want to be blocked when I exit”
5.
Because of a negative past experience
6.
People don’t like to stand face to face with someone
7.
They can’t see if there’s a seat inside
8.
Because they are alighting soon
9.
Because they do not like squeezing through crowds
Moving in for others on Public Transport
Quick Idea Generation | Short-term Implementation
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People tend to feel warm in Singapore and like moving into areas that feel cooler. Streamers attached to the airconditioning outlets at the middle of the train carriage gives a visual illusion that the centre is cooler.
Having entry lines on the floors of the trains to facilitate and nudge passengers to move in after they have entered.
Dark spaces tend to feel smaller and slightly claustrophobic while brighter spaces are more comfortable to be in.
3
Splitting train cabins and passengers into short and long traveller sections. By segregating passengers neatly, there will be less “blocking� of passengers when entering and exiting the train.
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People tend to stand near windows of the train to sight see while traveling. Having windows closer to the doors tinted and the middle section covered with a film that only allows frontier view will nudge people to more towards the middle of the train.
Placing advertisements, that gives away freebies, into the centre of the train car/back of the bus to nudge passengers to move in. Gain empathy and awareness of the public by having an advertising campaign. Have a typical scene vinyled on the train doors- crowded around the train doors, empty in the middle. Prime the crowd to move in before the train doors open.
5
Gradient/ Graphic applied to the train’s celling as a guide on where riders should stand- in reference to how many stops away they are from their destination.
Using the reflection on windows and positive messages to thank those who move into the centre of the train car.
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Using the reflection of doors to create shame tactics to nudge passengers to move in.
Moving in for others on Public Transport Quick Idea Generation | Mid-term Implementation
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Moving in for others on Public Transport Quick Idea Generation | Long-term Implementation
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2 2 May the use of new scent draw people towards the middle of the train- where what the scent is revealed?
By swapping the entrance and exit of the bus, we can perhaps increase the efficiency and flow of passengers entering and exiting. People tend to enjoy sight seeing while traveling. Digitally display different “Spot this building/ monument/ icon etc.” above windows in the middle.
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Inculcate a sense of belonging to each estate to their train stations by having a “Estate train station culture” showcase/ exhibition. A sense of competition amongst neighbouring estates will nudge people towards better behaviours in public transport systems.
4 People tend to see value in the free newspapers given out at train stations in the morning. Instead of having a person stationed and giving out papers, have a wired newspaper holder in the middle of trains and when empty and fully collected, simply acts as a support.
5
Place news flashes in the middle of the train.
Informing passengers the doors where the escalator exits are so as to facilitate moving in and out of the train.
Reconfiguring seats to facilitate more standing and sitting.
Other thoughts about Behavior that were discussed 1.
People tend to form habits when they experience a feel good factor after
2.
People tend to require cues to form routines
3.
People are encouraged to continue routines when a reward is present
4.
People tend to feel good when they do a good deed
5.
People tend to avoid smelly areas
6.
People tend to feel uncomfortable in tight spaces