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Behavioral Science Workshops & Training
Our behavioral science training is built on years of university teaching in behavioral design, user testing, HCI and data visualization. Teams leave with practical methods applied to their own challenges, not just interesting theory.
The problem behind the problem.
Interest in behavioral science is widespread, but practical skill is rare. Many people have read popular books about nudges and biases, yet struggle to apply the ideas to a real product, program or campaign. Without method, behavioral science becomes a collection of anecdotes and clever tricks. Teams may copy tactics that worked elsewhere without understanding why, or overlook the ethical questions that arise whenever an organization deliberately shapes behavior. Skill requires structured practice.
Mission-driven organizations face an additional constraint. They often cannot afford ongoing consulting for every project, so building internal capability is the most sustainable way to apply behavioral science to public health, education and community programs. Effective behavioral science training must therefore be practical, grounded in sound methods and adapted to the participants' world. It should teach people to diagnose behavior, design interventions, test them honestly and use persuasion responsibly. Capability compounds over time.
How we deliver behavioral science workshops & training.
- 01Observe
Learn the participants' context
Before designing a workshop, we interview a sample of participants and sponsors about their work, current challenges and familiarity with behavioral science. We collect real examples, such as a stalled program or an underused feature, to serve as working cases, so the training addresses problems participants actually face.
- 02Signal
Set learning objectives
We define the specific skills and behaviors participants should demonstrate afterward, such as writing a testable behavioral hypothesis, mapping a behavior with a motivation, ability and prompt lens, or designing a simple A/B test. Clear objectives shape the agenda and give sponsors a basis for evaluating whether the training succeeded.
- 03Design
Build an applied curriculum
We design interactive sessions combining concise explanation, examples from relevant sectors, structured exercises and work on participants' own cases. Topics can include behavior models, choice architecture, user testing, survey design, data visualization, experimentation and the ethics of persuasion. Adult learning principles guide pacing, practice and reflection.
- 04Test
Practice and get feedback
Participants apply methods during the workshop, receive feedback from facilitators and peers, and leave with a plan to test an idea in their work. Where programs run over several sessions, participants return with results to discuss. We evaluate the training against its objectives and refine future sessions accordingly.
- 05Scale
Build lasting capability
We provide toolkits, templates and reference guides, and we can train internal champions to lead future sessions. Follow-up coaching helps teams apply methods to new projects. The goal is an organization that uses behavioral science routinely and responsibly rather than relying on a single memorable event.
Deliverables.
What changes.
Who engages us.
We train leadership teams, product and marketing groups, program staff at nonprofits and associations, public health professionals, educators and administrators in school districts and universities, and clinician leaders in academic medicine. Common triggers include launching a behavioral science or innovation function, an annual meeting or retreat, a new strategy that depends on behavior change, or a desire to build internal capacity for testing and evaluation.
Industries
Beyond the balance sheet.
Behavioral science training multiplies impact when it reaches the people who design programs, products and services every day. Nonprofit and public sector staff can apply these methods to improve access, learning and health without large budgets. Employees gain skills that strengthen their careers. We always include the ethics of persuasion, so participants learn to help people achieve their own goals and to recognize and avoid manipulative practices.
Frequently asked questions.
What topics can behavioral science training cover?
Common topics include models of behavior and motivation, choice architecture and nudges, behavioral research and user testing, survey and measurement design, experimentation and A/B testing, data visualization, behavior change in teams and the ethics of persuasion. We tailor the mix to participants' roles and the problems they need to solve.
How long are the workshops?
Formats range from a focused session at a conference or retreat to multi-session programs over several weeks. Shorter sessions build awareness and shared vocabulary. Longer programs give participants time to apply methods to real projects and return with results, which builds practical capability more reliably. We recommend a format after understanding your goals, schedule and the participants' existing experience.
Can you speak at our annual meeting or conference?
Yes. We deliver keynotes and interactive sessions for associations, professional societies and organizational gatherings. We prefer formats that include some participation, even in large groups, because people retain more when they apply an idea to their own work immediately. Sessions for mission-driven audiences often focus on applying behavioral science to access, learning and public health challenges participants face every week.
Is the training suitable for people without a research background?
Yes. We design for practitioners, not specialists, and introduce methods in plain language with practical examples. Participants with research backgrounds can go deeper through advanced exercises. Mixed groups often work well, because they combine field knowledge with methodological skill. Shared language across these roles is often one of the most lasting benefits of the training.
Often paired with.
Education & Learning Design
Design courses and learning programs that change what people actually do, grounded in adult learning principles, behavioral science and real evaluation.
ExploreBehavioral Design Consulting
Diagnose why people are not acting and design focused, ethical changes to products, services and communications that make the desired behavior easier.
ExploreExperimentation & A/B Testing
Design experiments and pilots that produce clear, trustworthy answers, with proper power, guardrail metrics and behavioral hypotheses, in digital and offline settings.
ExploreRelated insights.
The Fogg Behavior Model, Explained
A clear explanation of the Fogg Behavior Model, B=MAP, and how motivation, ability and prompts combine to explain why people act or fail to act.
Read
The Ethics of Persuasive Technology
Where persuasion ends and manipulation begins in digital products and services, and practical principles for designing behavior change that respects people's interests and autonomy.
ReadReady to talk about behavioral science workshops & training?
Every engagement begins with a conversation. Tell us what you are facing and we will tell you, candidly, how we would approach it.
Start a conversation