The Method Book

An in-depth guide on how to use the BehaviourWorks Method.

The aim of the book is to explain the thinking behind The BehaviourWorks Method and provide instructions on how specific tools within it can be used to design better behaviour change programs.

The BehaviourWorks Method is our approach to changing behaviours. From the first step of understanding the problem to our final step of putting research to practice, this resource will help you better understand how we do what we do whilst providing you with the right tools so you are able to do what we do (change behaviours for good) within your own organisations and contexts.

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Each chapter of The Method Book takes you through a detailed explanation of one segment of the BehaviourWorks Method.

Chapters 1 - 4 cover the ‘Exploration’ phase that helps practitioners better define the problem. Chapters 5 - 8 cover the ‘Deep Dive’ phase that identifies important behavioural influences to guide intervention design. Chapters 9 - 12 covers the ‘Application’ phase that focuses on success measures, trials, impact and scaling.

The Method Book chapters were published via the Monash Bridges/Figshare platform over the duration of 2021. You can now download all 12 research chapters in a single file. We plan to produce an edited book in the future.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

0

The Method

This chapter provides an introduction to a proven approach for addressing policy problems with behaviour change: The Method.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

1

Evidence Review

How research reviews make knowledge available and useful to policymakers and other leaders who need to make decisions and take actions to solve problems, often within short timeframes.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

2

Systems thinking and behaviour

How systems, actor, process and influence mapping gives us a 'big picture' view of the problem and helps us pinpoint solutions.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

3

Exploring the problem with data

In Chapter 3 we introduce some common methods for analysing data to better understand a problem. They cover a mixt of simple and complex analysis techniques, as well as audience segmentation approaches.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

4

Stakeholder consultation to improve behaviour change

In Chapter 4 we explore the many ways in which stakeholder consultation can be undertaken to help understand and ultimately address behaviour change challenges.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

5

Getting ready to Deep Dive: Defining, identifying and prioritising behaviours

Here we prepare for a Deep Dive by delving into and understanding the behaviours we want to target for our interventions.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

6

'You are not normal!' Understanding the influences on behaviour

In this chapter, we introduce you to a practical synthesis of the influences on behaviour to remove the guesswork and misplaced assumptions of your behaviour change endeavours.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

7

Researching your target audience: Why do people do what they do?

How do we find out what motivates or prevents a target audience from engaging in a desired behaviour? By conducting audience research. In this chapter, we introduce you to a selection of tools that are commonly used to engage with audiences and understand what matters to them.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

8

From insights to interventions

Learn how to match audience insights from our Deep Dive research to behaviour change frameworks and design interventions with the maximum chance of success.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

9

Using generic behaviour change tools when time and resources are scarce

In Chapter 9 we learn how to use general tools to design behaviour change interventions when your most valuable assets, like time and funding, are scarce.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

10

How to choose good success measures

We've now moved into the Application phase of The Method, where we trial our interventions. What measures will we use to establish if our trial has, in fact, changed behaviour? In Chapter 10 we provide some tools.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

11

Intervention trials: How to know if your intervention works

All the work that we have done to date brings us to the point of putting our insights into practice via trails. The focus of this chapter is on setting those trials up in a way that will give us the clearest picture of its success - or not!

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

12

Making the most of an effective intervention

In this final chapter, we offer some approaches and tools to help teams share the learnings from their intervention trials and scale their successes up to achieve even greater impact.

Introduction

Conclusion

Chapter

13

Conclusions, Reflections and Future Directions

In this concluding chapter of the Method Book our Director, Professor Liam Smith, reflects on the process of developing the book; from conception, to ideation and execution, and offers a final note to readers on prospective future directions for BehaviourWorks Australia.

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