BC BIG

Meandering to Methods Specialist

There are three types of people. The few who know, at 16, what they want to be when they grow up and retire having done just that. Those who, upon retirement, look back and can connect all the dots and say yes, of course, it all led here (although that could just be hindsight bias). And then there are the people who look back on their career paths and think, I have no clue how it all fits together but I sure have enjoyed the ride.

BC BIG Case Study: Improving Information Collection in the Seafood Industry

In November, BC Behavioural Insights Group (BC BIG) released The First Four Years, a report of the first years of our work. We included case studies of some of the projects we’ve done around the province, including designing better maps to protect mountain caribou, helping British Columbians unemployed due to the pandemic return to work, and improving the management of groundwater in the province. Over a series of blog posts, we will shine a spotlight on individual projects and invite your questions.

Introducing Mikayla Ford as BC BIG's New Lead

I’m officially three weeks into my new role as Lead for the BC Behavioural Insights Group and I couldn’t be more excited to be working alongside this fantastic team in this new capacity. While I may be new to the role, I have been watching this team grow since its initiation in 2016, spending the last (almost) three years working as part of it.

Travelling with behavioural insights on a transformative journey across countries and continents

This is how the roads I traversed and the choices I made brought me to BC BIG. I mentioned in my interview that working at BC BIG was my dream job, and I was not exaggerating. BC BIG literally gives me the chance to work across ministries and address the different determinants of health, all from the place where important policy decisions are made — the public service.

Laying the foundations for a behavioural intervention project — Part Two

In this blog series, created for Experimentation Works, we will focus on the first two phases of our (BC BIG)’s RIDE Model for Behaviour Shift. This post, the second in the series, will cover the ‘research’ phase.

Laying the foundations for a behavioural intervention project — Part One

In this blog series, created for Experimentation Works, we will focus on the first two phases of our (BC BIG)’s RIDE Model for Behaviour Shift. This post, the first in the series, will cover the ‘scoping’ phase. While scoping is certainly nothing new to public servants, there are a few aspects of scoping a behavioural insights (BI) project that make it unique.

Bridging the Gap from Intention to Action in Conservation

In British Columbia, we identify with our expansive forests, soaring mountains, ocean shores, and fresh water. Where we sometimes get stuck — for many good reasons — is in making that connection between appreciating and valuing nature to taking action to protect it. Behavioural insights — or BI — can provide a bridge across that tricky space between intention (I want to protect nature that I value) and action (changing my actual behaviour to help make that happen). And BI can show us that sometimes, with just a little nudge in the right direction, we can make a big difference with even small actions.

Using Behavioural Insights to Help Unemployed British Columbians During COVID-19

Through its WorkBC program, the Ministry offers valuable job-seeking services. These include employment counselling and training support — even something as simple as looking over a resume. Services are free and WorkBC has a great track record of success. But for a variety of reasons, some clients delay applying.

To ensure timely uptake, the Ministry partnered with the BC Behavioural Insights Group.