Designing for human behaviour in a systemic world

Anja Maier; Philip Cash

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-46054-9_16-1

Designing for human behaviour in a systemic world

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

This chapter addresses designing for human behaviour in a systemic world. Many theories and examples of behavioural interventions are available to designers today, from fields spanning the natural, social, behavioural, health, and technical sciences. This chapter provides an overview and synthesis of approaches, as well as guidance through this landscape for designers. Literature is reviewed from two
perspectives: (i) 'technology-first', where technology is the primary driver of design, and (ii) 'human-first', where it is human behaviour that is the driver and focus. Further, the review covers three main levels of intervention: (i) individual or micro-, (ii) group or meso-, and (iii) societal- or macro-level. Perspectives and levels are synthesised via a 'design as connector' lens, bridging insights ranging from engineering to policy. Based on this synthesis, it is shown that in order to create and sustain change in a systemic world, designers need to consider combinations of interventions across multiple levels that work together in both the short and longer term. We encapsulate this into four main points of guidance, illustrated by examples from health behaviour, sustainable behaviour, and urban planning. Collectively, this opens new directions for engineering systems design researchers and provides practitioners with practical guidance for navigating this complex landscape.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Handbook of Engineering Systems Design
Editors	Anja Maier, Josef Oehmen, Pieter Vermaas
Place of Publication	Cham
Publisher	Springer
Chapter	16
Pages	1-34
Number of pages	34
Edition	1
ISBN (Electronic)	9783030460549
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46054-9_16-1
Publication status	Published - 31 Jul 2022

Keywords

behavioural design
design for behaviour change
engineering systems
engineering systems design
human behaviour
intervention design
social design
design
systems thinking
systems

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/978-3-030-46054-9_16-1

Cite this

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title = "Designing for human behaviour in a systemic world",

abstract = "This chapter addresses designing for human behaviour in a systemic world. Many theories and examples of behavioural interventions are available to designers today, from fields spanning the natural, social, behavioural, health, and technical sciences. This chapter provides an overview and synthesis of approaches, as well as guidance through this landscape for designers. Literature is reviewed from twoperspectives: (i) 'technology-first', where technology is the primary driver of design, and (ii) 'human-first', where it is human behaviour that is the driver and focus. Further, the review covers three main levels of intervention: (i) individual or micro-, (ii) group or meso-, and (iii) societal- or macro-level. Perspectives and levels are synthesised via a 'design as connector' lens, bridging insights ranging from engineering to policy. Based on this synthesis, it is shown that in order to create and sustain change in a systemic world, designers need to consider combinations of interventions across multiple levels that work together in both the short and longer term. We encapsulate this into four main points of guidance, illustrated by examples from health behaviour, sustainable behaviour, and urban planning. Collectively, this opens new directions for engineering systems design researchers and provides practitioners with practical guidance for navigating this complex landscape.",

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KW - design for behaviour change

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KW - intervention design

KW - social design

KW - design

KW - systems thinking

KW - systems

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A2 - Vermaas, Pieter

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Designing for human behaviour in a systemic world

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Engineering systems design: a look to the future

Engineering systems interventions in practice: cases from healthcare and transport

Handbook of Engineering Systems Design

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