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The 3B Framework

The document introduces the 3B Framework for designing behavior change interventions. The 3B Framework involves identifying a key behavior, reducing barriers that prevent the behavior, and amplifying the benefits of performing the behavior. Companies like PayPal, Google, and the World Bank have used this approach. While frameworks simplify complex human behavior, this one provides a useful tool to identify concrete ways to improve behaviors.

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414 views4 pages

The 3B Framework

The document introduces the 3B Framework for designing behavior change interventions. The 3B Framework involves identifying a key behavior, reducing barriers that prevent the behavior, and amplifying the benefits of performing the behavior. Companies like PayPal, Google, and the World Bank have used this approach. While frameworks simplify complex human behavior, this one provides a useful tool to identify concrete ways to improve behaviors.

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Кремена П.
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The 3B Framework

It’s a daunting task to list all of the behavioral economic principles for
behavior change. From loss aversion to social proof, the list can seem
endless. To help structure our principles, we created the “3B” approach
to help design for behavior change that improves lives.

Among companies that have used our approach to design products are
Paypal, Google, World Bank and JawBone.

– CAVEAT –

Frameworks are generally a simplification.

Human behavior is complex, but this framework is a helpful tool that facilitates
moving from complexity to identifying concrete ways to improve behavior.

The 3B Framework | irrationallabs.org 1


1. Identify Key Behaviors
What’s a key behavior?
The specific and measurable action you want a user to take.

Ask yourself:
» What action do you want the user to take?
» Is this the single most important behavior for them to do to meet the business goals?
(If we don’t know, we identify the assumptions we’re making)
» How often do you want the user to do this behavior? Some behaviors only need to
happen once, but some require habitual engagement.

Mistakes people make when identifying the key behavior:

MISTAKE: LISTING OUTCOMES


Outcomes are not behaviors.
An outcome is “losing 10 pounds” or “acquisition cost under $16.”
Examples of behaviors are “eat fruit once a day,” “exercise every Wednesday after work” or “open
up a savings account during first use.”

MISTAKE: TOO VAGUE


Get uncomfortably specific.
Define the exact behavior you want someone to do, and when they should do it.
It should be as specific as: “Grab an apple from the kitchen fruit bowl every weekday morning,
right before walking out the door for work.”
If you’re not a little bit uncomfortable defining your key behavior, you’re doing it wrong.

MISTAKE: USING PROXIES


Think about after click-through; what happens next?
“Log in”, “Sign up” and “Click-Through Rates” don’t count as actual behaviors — they’re proxies.
What is the behavior we want users to do after they’ve logged in?

2 The 3B Framework | irrationallabs.org


2. Reducing Barriers
The Extra Steps · The Hard, Confusing Questions · The Friction
Barriers prevent our users from completing our key behavior. To design for behavior
change, we should reduce or remove these barriers.*

What are some common barriers?

LIMITED ATTENTION FRICTION


Our attentional resources are extremely We’re wired to limit our cognitive effort.
limited. We can only focus on a limited When given too many options or faced with a
number of things at a time, which means complex choice, we can procrastinate or opt
important details can be missed. out of taking action.

PRESENT BIAS MENTAL MODELS


We overvalue the present compared to the Our preconceptions for how something
future. As a result, we tend to have a hard works (our understanding of the
time delaying gratification and prefer surrounding world), can bias our actions
rewards that arrive sooner rather than later. and social behaviors.

NORMS STATUS QUO BIAS


Our behavior is heavily influenced by what We have a natural bias towards the present
others do and think is good: We try to behave state of affairs, and often view a change
similarly to those around us, even when from the status quo as a loss: Among a set of
making a different choice would be better. options, we choose to stick with the status
quo or most automatic option.

*There are times where we want to have barriers.


Adding friction can keep people from doing undesirable behaviors.
For example: Keeping unhealthy food in a hard to reach place.

The 3B Framework | irrationallabs.org 3


3. Amplifying Benefits
Benefits encourage users to do our key behavior.
Where barriers add friction, benefits add motivation. To design for behavior change,
we want to amplify existing benefits or create new benefits.

We Seek To Create Benefits That Are

IMMEDIATE
The closer to NOW, the better.

CONCRETE
If you are you prompting people to save, encourage them to identify a thing to save for. A vacation,
a new car is more concrete than just ‘savings.’

HEDONIC
Pleasure is a motivator. Think a piece of dark chocolate or a Swedish massage, not a 401k training
seminar.

Some Prompting Questions

PRESENT FOCUS
What would impact a user’s life right now?
If your main benefit is in the future (which is often the case for products/services in health,
finance, etc), how can you add another benefit that is in the present?

SALIENCY
Is the benefit salient, obvious and concrete?
How can you make it more so?

EMOTIONAL APPEAL
Does the benefit appeal to someone’s emotion?

4 The 3B Framework | irrationallabs.org

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