Behaviour change and technology programmes, conceived holistically, have the potential to improve the lives of residents, create better neighbourhoods and deliver a number of benefits for local authorities. But how do you go from an idea to sustained, positive change? Next in our #nudgemonth series, Ed Houghton draws on our experience designing and implementing this type of project to offer his top five tips.

The breadth and depth of local authorities means they have the potential to deliver transformative change across sectors, from climate to health, wellbeing and education. Not only do local authorities have the mandate and ability to work directly and in partnership with communities, they also have legitimacy and access to the levers to create change – and many are increasingly using technology and behaviour change in combination to deliver on their goals. The potential for impact is beyond compare to most other institutions; the opportunity to create to create lasting, positive change is massive.

In practice, however, tech-related behaviour change is by no means a simple exercise. There are often significant barriers that can prevent these projects from working, or even getting off the ground. Lack of knowledge, lack of resources and lack of management buy-in are all common issues that can stop even the best designed intervention in its tracks. From our experience of the realities of implementing new technologies and behaviour change programmes with a local authority, we have compiled our five key lessons to help ensure a successful outcome:

1. Do your research – not only drawing on literature reviews, but speaking to real people

   There is a tendency for researchers to rely on published studies alone to build their interventions. While this is an important step, for new innovations and behavioural change programmes, it can be severely limiting. Instead, researchers should look to draw on other forms of data, in particular data taken directly from stakeholders and members of the public, to help with their design. We try to speak to the communities we are working with at every stage, but it is particularly important at the start, when a project is being designed.

2.  Plan flexibly and build in timeline and resource slack

   The reality of working with local government means that priorities and plans are often in tension. Unlike ‘lab’ work, which is structured (sometimes artificially so), the reality of local authority life means that plans need flexibility. Ongoing consultation and engagement can help to ensure that timelines are met, but projects should look to build in space for the unexpected – in our public engagement work on self-driving cars, for example, we were able to rapidly switch to virtual rather than in-person trials during the Covid-19 pandemic. Flexibility in methods can help to overcome challenging timelines, and means resources can be drawn on when they’re needed.

3. Make the most of your access to people and communities

   As well as refining the methodology, starting a dialogue with particular communities also provides significant scope for expansion and innovation. For our fly-tipping project, we have spent time meeting people on their doorsteps to test our approaches and come up with new ideas. This access is something that many organisations severely lack. Local authorities, however, benefit from well-established relationships with a range of communities, often through pre-existing networks, who are happy to help. The advantage of developing and drawing on these is in building a more inclusive, appropriate and achievable design.

4. Be pragmatic in your design and approach – don’t get distracted by perfection

   Good design quality is important, whether in selecting the right sample group, designing appropriate interventions, or testing and piloting. Sometimes, however, projects don’t make it out of the studio – they get stuck at the design phase, constantly honed and reviewed as theory while the issue they are intended to address continues. Start to pilot and learn through delivery. In the end, a project must be deliverable, and ultimately must make sure it produces data and results of the quality needed to inform a decision. Many behaviour change projects strive for perfection, when instead pragmatism and a focus on getting things ‘as good as they need to be’ can be more appropriate and useful.

5. Help stakeholders to see value and build their input into the programme at every stage

   ‘Selling’ a behaviour change programme is important at every stage. Local authority teams may be reluctant, cautious, or have little experience of this type of project in their area. Sharing case studies and stories from other projects can help to showcase the art of the possible, and also helps to validate and build your own approach. Stakeholder input should never just be at the start – it should be built in at every stage. This way, the impact of the project can be realised, and a culture of learning and evaluation can be supported to develop.

These are just some of the lessons we’ve learned along the way. We love meeting others interested in behavioural science and behaviour change interventions, and learning about what works in their areas of expertise. If you’re inspired by the above, or have your own lessons to share, get in touch!