Design for Behaviour Change
How I learned to appreciate our tame social scientist: experiences in integrating design research and the behavioural sciences
Sander Hermsen, Remko van der Lugt, Sander Mulder, Reint Jan Renes
Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (2), Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University
sander.hermsen@hu.nl
Keywords: behaviour change; theory-driven design; multidisciplinary design
Abstract
Designing solutions for complex behaviour change processes can be greatly aided by integrating insights from the behavioural sciences into design practice. However, this integration is hampered by the relative inaccessibility of behavioural scientific knowledge. Working in a multidisciplinary of design researchers and behavioural scientists may bridge the gap between the two fields. This paper shares our experiences in working as such a multidisciplinary group on a large project, amongst others consisting of the design of interventions for workplace safety. Our cooperation was fruitful, both for design researchers – being able to better structure the messiness of the design process, behavioural scientists – gaining in ecological validity of their methods , and commissioners – increased trust in potential outcomes of the design process. However, difficulties preventing synergy also transpired.
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Cite this paper: Hermsen, S., van der Lugt, R., Mulder, R., Renes, R.J. (2016). How I learned to appreciate our tame social scientist: experiences in integrating design research and the behavioural sciences. Proceedings of DRS 2016, Design Research Society 50th Anniversary Conference. Brighton, UK, 27–30 June 2016.
This paper will be presented at DRS2016, find it in the conference programme