This document discusses LivingSocial's increasing focus on using behavioral design and action design principles to influence user behavior in ways that achieve key performance indicators (KPIs). It outlines a framework for applying behavioral models like the Fogg Behavior Model to understand user motivations, abilities, and triggers in order to design product features that encourage desired behaviors or discourage undesired behaviors. The goal is to integrate user research findings into the design process to change specific user actions in a way that directly impacts important metrics.

1. LivingSocial’s
increasing focus on
behavioral change
action design dc • january 15, 2013
scott stroud & liz odar

2. daily deals
escapes
fun & events
shop
takeout & delivery

3. what is action
design?

4. design to influence
behavior
(behavior = a range of actions)

5. action design
at LivingSocial

6. user research

7. what is user research?

8. “Providing insights into product users,
their perspectives, and their abilities to
the right people at the right time.”
Tomer Sharon
UX Research, Google

9. common questions
• what are users looking for?
• what do they care about?
• can they use this thing?
• why are they doing X?
• why are they not doing Y?

11. research methods
Usability tests Un-moderated
tests
Contextual Customer Service
Inquiry Shadowing
Diary Studies

12. lab

13. tools we use
recruit livingsocial.com/research
screen share
record Silverback
other

14. diary studies
data collection powered by Twilio
Send a Question! Participants Receive!& Reply! Collect!
+ Web! SMS! Voice !
or!
SMS!
Smart Phone designed by Stefan Bumbeck from The Noun Project!
List designed by Jose Manuel Rodriguez from The Noun Project!

15. twilio + ruby = journio
a new user research tool
Manage multiple studies! Create Groups! Threaded Responses!
Higher Participation Rate
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16. current process
» hypothesis
» research
» analyze
» report
» design
» launch
» measure

17. ➜
we need a better framework
to help user research
influence design

18. +
example:
the redemption
problem

20. the problem +
• flood of consumers at the beginning and end
of redemption period
• consumers ask for refunds if they can’t get in
before expiration
• merchants are overwhelmed by spikes
• merchants want returning, loyal customers

21. identify KPIs
(key performance
indicators)

22. KPIs +
• reduce refunds by x %
• increase voucher redemptions by x%
• even out distribution over redemption
period
• increase customer & merchant
satisfaction

23. consumers merchants
identify goals, behaviors, &
motivations
of each persona

24. user goals +
• don’t waste money
• find the merchant’s location
• have a good experience

25. given what we know
about goals & KPIs,
what actions do we
want to encourage?
or stop?

26. desired actions +
• use voucher early, but not during a spike
• find merchant without hassle
• give voucher as a gift to someone else
• redeem for paid value if expired

27. how do we change
behavior?
(first, understand what makes a behavior
happen)

28. the behavior model
bj fogg (stanford university)

29. behaviors =
motivations
abilities
triggers
at the same moment

30. core motivators
pleasure pain
hope fear
social acceptance rejection

31. motivators +
what motivates me to redeem?
pleasure of experiencing the restaurant, spa, etc.
pleasure of checking it off to-do list
social acceptance of <going to a restaurant> with
someone special or a group
hope of finding a new favorite spot
fear of wasting money if I don’t redeem

32. motivators +
... at a time that’s good for me and good for the
merchant?
hope that the merchant won’t be slammed
social acceptance by the merchant when they
are free to spend more time with you
fear that I’ll forget if I wait any longer

33. motivators +
what motivates me to let a deal expire?
nothing (I forgot)
fear of not having someone to go with (see also: rejection)
fear of being part of the last-minute rush
fear of my own dissatisfaction

34. abilities
(time/money, willingness, brain power,
social friction)

35. abilities +
what makes it simple for me to redeem at a
optimal time?
understanding how vouchers work, when they
expire, and where to find the ones I own
knowing where the merchant is located and how to
contact them if needed
knowing when the merchant is least busy (or vibrant)

36. triggers
(do it! now.)

37. activation threshold
(Fogg behavior model)
high
✔
triggers succeed
motivation
✘
low
triggers fail
hard to do ability easy to do

38. choose types of triggers that
match motivation and ability

39. types of triggers
(Fogg behavior model)
high
facilitator signal
motivation
spark
low
hard to do ability easy to do

40. types of triggers
(Fogg behavior model)
high
facilitator signal
motivation
spark
low
hard to do ability easy to do

41. triggers +
what triggers me to redeem a voucher at a good
time?
memory that I own the voucher
reminder email from LivingSocial
app or site notification
mobile OS notification (e.g., apple iOS passbook
push notif based on location)

42. behavior chains
(trigger small actions first)

43. how do we
prioritize?

44. 1) what is the
likelihood we’ll
change/create/stop
the behavior?

45. 2) if the behavior
changes,
what is the relative
impact to KPIs?

46. 15 types of behavior change
do do
new familiar increase decrease stop
behavior behavior
one time
period
of time
from now
on
(source: Fogg behavior model)

47. find the right mix of triggers,
ability, motivators
credit: flickr user rosa y dani

48. want to increase a behavior?
+++ motivators +++ triggers
make it
easier

49. want to stop a behavior?
de-motivate remove triggers
make it
harder

50. design solutions +
• use voucher early, but not during a spike
send reminder emails/notifications a few
weeks after purchase, but stagger who
gets them when

51. design solutions +
• find merchant without hassle
make it easy to find the merchant location
(e.g., better mapping features on mobile app)

52. design solutions +
• give voucher as a gift to someone else
present gift options after purchase, especially
in reminders
motivate with the pleasure of gift-giving

53. design solutions +
• redeem for paid value if expired
send reminders/notifications even after expiration
explaining paid value
reissue a voucher for paid amount after expiration
educate merchants on how to redeem vouchers post-
expiration

54. how do we know if
our design
solutions actually
changed behavior?

55. measure real world actions.

56. how do we know if
changed behaviors
lead to desired
outcomes?

57. measure KPIs.

58. our current world
» hypothesis
» research
» analyze
» report
» design
» launch
» measure

59. our new world
» define KPIs & user goals
» define target actions
» understand
» design for desired behaviors
» measure actions
» measure KPIs

60. our new world
» user research organizes findings
according to b =
» product owners & designers have
a mixing board
» focus on user actions that move
KPIs

61. discussion