Because behavioural insights (BI) is an approach to problem-solving, it can be used in a myriad of different ways—from tackling full-scale randomized controlled trials to applying a BI lens to a problem to improving communications and beyond. To learn more about the different ways BI Practitioners use behavioural insights in their work, we checked in with three of the graduates from UBC’s Advanced Professional Certificate in Behavioural Insights.
Melinda Deines, Class of 2022
Job title & employer: Strategist, SLD
Short job description: I work with companies in many different industries to help them build their brands through design solutions. That could be brand design, store design, package design, digital design and even the design of how employees work. I conduct research, gather insights, and synthesize learning to support the direction we take with any given project. We ground our design in strategy to ensure our solutions are rooted in measurable outcomes. My role is to make sure we know everything we can about the challenge we want to solve, figure out how to translate that into design direction, and then work with the client to ensure we measure success against their key objectives.
How do you bring BI into what you do? You can’t “unsee” BI. I have a pair of BI-coloured glasses that strongly shape the way I approach any challenge. There are two key areas where I’m using behavioural insights in my work: the first is to look at each client and understand what biases are at play within their organization that are creating barriers to success. That helps me build in ways to address those biases throughout the process. The second is in overcoming specific behavioural challenges we might face as we transform a brand – this could be with employees or customers. A big one right now is how to get consumers to complete the cycle for zero waste packaging. BI is a great tool to elevate marketing strategy.
Rachel Yang, Class of 2021
Job title & employer: Market Research Analyst & Behavioural Scientist at Technical Safety BC
Short job description: In addition to leading market research initiatives such as surveys, focus groups, and interviews, I design, implement, and analyze behavioural nudges and experiments in collaboration with various teams across the organization.
How do you bring BI into what you do? I use a BI approach to understand the motivations and behaviours of the individuals we serve across British Columbia, with the ultimate goal of improving technical safety outcomes across B.C. I work on a portfolio of projects that use BI, from RCTs and A/B tests to applying a behavioural lens. Examples include testing email communications, conducting behavioural analyses, improving forms, simplifying messaging, and piloting nudges to improve safety behaviour. I also educate other teams about BI and how it can be used to “nudge for good”.
Stephanie Kuhn, Class of 2022
Job title & employer: Service Design Lead – Digital Experience | BC Data Service | Ministry of Citizens’ Services
Short job description: My job is two-fold. I work in partnership with executive leadership across the B.C. Government to support their transformation plans for digital and data based service initiatives. I also provide technology leadership for teams to ensure they incorporate a service design approach ahead of business case and requirement definitions for their product development. In short, I help ensure products and services are created in a meaningful way from end-to-end.
How do you bring BI into what you do?
I’ll be supporting the behavioural analysis portion of the BC Data Catalogue usability project later this year – which is really exciting!
BI has been essential in my most recent project: antiracism.gov.bc.ca. Similar to my capstone with the Canadian Mental Health Association of BC for Care to Speak, the multilingual website needs to utilize EAST to be easy to understand, and use. The site also needs to utilize EAST to help foster trust and transparency for a diverse and multicultural audience. It’s only just been published, so I’ll be determining which data points in the analytics will be included for benchmark measurements. However, it’s been great to bake in EAST principles such as, framing, salience and simplification into the core of the website!
Feeling inspired to learn more about how you can use behavioural insights in your work? UBC Sauder School of Business offers part-time, live online BI programs:
Fundamentals of Behavioural Insights: A 3-week course that introduces behavioural insights, experimentation, and ethics to enable you to add a BI lens to how you approach problems. The course can be taken as open enrolment or as a required prerequisite for the certificate program. Next offered April 17-May 7.
Advanced Professional Certificate in Behavioural Insights: A rigorous 9-month program combining coursework and a capstone project to help you develop the knowledge and skills to design and evaluate BI solutions in your workplace. Apply now for the 2023-2024 cohort! The early bird application deadline is May 31.
Free informational webinar: Learn more about these programs at one of our upcoming webinars at 12-1pm PT on March 16 and April 4.