hooked workshop

h kHooked

@nireyal

Products  can  profoundly   CHANGE  OUR  BEHAVIORS.

100’s  of  millions  of  users…

…and  100’s  of    millions  of  dollars.

PA TT E

SNR

?

I  wrote  this  …

…  more  at:  NirAndFar.com

Vitamins ORPain Killers?

PAIN  KILLERS  address  a  burning  need.

VITAMINS  are    “nice  to  have.”

Vitamins ORPain Killers?

becomesPLEASURE  SEEKINGbehavior

PAIN  ALLEVIATINGbehavior

With  habit-­‐forming  technology

What  do  we  mean  by  PAIN?  

Close  your  eyes.

HOW DID YOU FEEL?

Images  of  chocolate  bring  both  pleasure  and  stress  to  “cravers.”

   Source:  Rodriguez  et  al  2005

The  brain  associates  behaviors  that  PROVIDE  A  SOLUTION

to  whatever  problem  it  encounters.

THE  USER  INITIALLY  COMES  TO  SEEK  PLEASURE.The  product  soon  becomes  an  important  part  of  her  life.

When  we  FEEL  AN  ITCHwe  seek  to  SCRATCH  IT.

The  SOLUTION  TO  OUR  DISCOMFORT  is  found  in  the  product’s  use.

STRESS  is  a  precondition  for  addiction.

   Source:  Heilig  and  Koob  2007

We  are  not  designing  for  addiction  NOT  must  be  in  graphic  

Do  not  design  for  addiction.

A  BEHAVIOR  DONE  WITH

CONSCIOUS  THOUGHT

LITTLE  OR  NO  hab·it

HEALTHTAP

REV

POCKET

BIA

LUMO

7 CUPS

EMODT

PANTRY LABS

Habits can be used for good.

REFRESH.IO

1.  FREQUENCY

   Source:  Judah,  G;  Gardner,  B;  Aunger,  R;  2013

2.  ATTITUDE  CHANGE    Source:  Judah,  G;  Gardner,  B;  Aunger,  R;  2013

Harnessing  

VERY  GOODHABITS  can  be  

FOR  BUSINESS.

Creating  consumer  habits  drives  

HIGHER  CUSTOMERLIFETIME  VALUE  (CLTV).

Creating  consumer  habits  gives  companies  GREATER  FLEXIBILITYTO  INCREASE  PRICES.

Creating  consumer  habits  

SUPERCHARGESGROWTH.

Creating  consumer  habits

INCREASES  DEFENSIBILITY.

However,  forming  new  habits  is  HARD  WORK

AND  EXCEPTIONALLY  RARE.

But  if  your  business  requires    “unprompted  user  engagement,”

A  design  pattern  to  helpFORM  BETTER  PRODUCT  HYPOTHESES.

BUILDING  ISEXPENSIVE      

INCREASE  YOUR  ODDS  OF  SUCCESS.

h kThe$HOOK$is$an$experience$designed$to$

connect$the$user’s$problem$to$your$solu7on.$

h kwith%enough%%

FREQUENCY%%

to%%FORM+A+HABIT.+

NOW IT IS

YOUR TURN

❑ Get  into  groups  of  2  or  3.  !

❑ Describe  your  businesses.  !

❑ Why  does  your  business  require  habits?

5  min

!❑ What  problem  are  users    

coming  to  solve?  !❑ How  do  they  currently  

solve  the  problem  and  why  does  it  need  a  solution?  

!❑ How  frequently  do  you  

expect  users  to  engage?  !

❑ What  action  do  you  want  to  make  into  a  habit?

10  min

h kA"Hook"has"4"parts:"

-­‐  A  hook  has  4  parts:  -­‐  Trigger  -­‐  Action  -­‐  Reward  -­‐  Investment

A  

T  A  

R  I

h k

HABITS  ARE  BUILT  UPON  like  the  layers  of  a  pearl.

Triggers  come  in  two  flavors:EXTERNAL  &  INTERNAL

EXTERNAL  TRIGGERSThe  information  for  what  to  do  next    

is  within  the  trigger.

Billboards SODA

Optimizing  external  triggers  =    Growth  Hacking

INTERNAL  TRIGGERSThe  information  for  what  to  do  next  is  informed   through  an  association  in  the  user’s  memory.

Negative  emotions  are  POWERFUL  INTERNAL  TRIGGERS.

lost

indecisivetense

fatiguedinferior

bored

confused

fear  of  loss

dissatisfiedpowerless

discouraged

lonesome

People  who  are  DEPRESSED  CHECK  EMAIL  MORE  OFTEN.    Source:  Kotikalapudi  et  al  2012

When  we  feel  LONELY  we  use

When  we  feel  UNSURE  we    use                                                

When  we  are  BORED  we  use                                      

Do you know your customer’s INTERNAL TRIGGER?

Jack  Dorsey  on  Narratives

IT#ALL#STARTS#WITH#A#NARRATIVE.!“(If)!you!want!to!build!a!product!that!is!relevant!to!folks,!you!need!to!put!yourself!in!their!shoes!and!you!need!to!write!a!story!from!their!side.”!.#Jack#Dorsey#

1952

INSTANT  CAKE  MIX  WAS  A  MARKETING  FAILURE.  Betty  Crocker  assumed  that  customers  wanted  convenience  but  “Just  add  water”  did  not  sell.

Source:  “Finding  Betty  Crocker”,  Susan  Marks    

WHY  DO  WE  MAKE  CAKE?  to  give  and  receive  love  from  people  we  care  about.  

DEPRECATED  A  FEATURE

What  triggers  make                                                  so  habit-­‐forming?

 external  triggers

of  losing  the  moment.solves  the  pain

But                                                is  also  a  social  network.

Urge to preserve

Stressed

Lonely

CuriousInsecurity

Bored

YOUR TURN TO

BUILD A NARRATIVE

BUILD  YOUR  NARRATIVE  !❑ Who  is  the  user?  !❑ What  are  they  doing  right  

before  your  intended  habit?

5  min

INTERNAL  TRIGGERS  !❑ Come  up  with  3  internal  

trigger  hypotheses  (emotions,  routines,  situations…)  

!❑ Which  internal  trigger  

occurs  most  often?  !❑ Every  time  _______  ,          

the  user  ________.  

5  min

EXTERNAL  TRIGGERS  !❑ Where  and  when  can  you  

insert  your  external  triggers?  

!❑ How  can  you  be  in  front  

of  the  user  when  her  internal  trigger  fires?  !

❑ What’s  the  right  place,  right  time?  !

❑ Think  of  3  “rational  ideas”  and  3  “crazy  ideas.”

5  min

HYPOTHESIS  HOMEWORK  !❑ Are  your  assumptions  

correct?  !

❑ Is  your  narrative  really  happening?  !

❑ “Get  out  of  the  building.”  –  Steve  Blank  !

❑ Test  your  biggest  assumptions  first  and  cheaply.

Take 10 Min

“Hook”  by  Blues  Traveler

h k

TheSIMPLEST  ACTIONin  anticipation  of  a  reward.

Scroll

Search

Play

According  to  BJ  Fogg,  for  any  behavior  to  occur,  we  need  MOTIVATION,  ABILITY,  and  a  TRIGGER

b=m+a+t

“THE  ENERGY  FOR  ACTION”mo·ti·va·tion

-­‐Edward  Deci

THERE  ARE  SIX  FACTORS  THAT  CAN  INCREASE  MOTIVATION.

Seeking PleasureAvoiding PainSeeking HopeAvoiding Fear Seeking AcceptanceAvoiding Rejection

Source:  Dr.  BJ  Fogg,  Stanford  University    

Seeking  HOPE

Seeking  PLEASURE

Avoiding  FEAR

Seeking  ACCEPTANCE

ABILITYthe capacity to do a particular action

Time%

$ Six$factors$can$increase$or$decrease$ability.%

Money% Physical%effort%

Brain%cycles% Social%deviance% Non8rou:ne%

Source:%Dr.%BJ%Fogg,%Stanford%University%

NOVELTY  IS  A  LIABILITY.

LOOK  FOR  OLD  HABITS

Fogg  Behavior  Model

MOTIV

ATION

ABILITY

Level  of  of  motivation  and  ability  determines  if  action  will  occur.

Source:  Dr.  BJ  Fogg,  Stanford  University

TRIGGER   SUCCEEDS

TRIGGER   FAILS

Simplicity is a function of your

scarcest resource at that moment.

-­‐BJ  Fogg

Should  designers  MOVE  MOTIVATION  OR  ABILITY  FIRST?

You  can  try  to  increase  motivation…

…but  you’ll  often    get  the  same  results.

Move  abilitybefore  motivation.

Focus  on  simplicity.

through  the  years

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

through  the  years

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

through  the  years

YOUR TURN TO

SIMPLIFY THE ACTION

Users  are  on  a  path  to  solving  a  problem.

Internal  Trigger

Product  Interface

Reward/Pain  Alleviation

users  take  action  to  alleviate  pain.

Internal  Trigger

Product  Interface  1. Open  App  2. Log-­‐in  (sometimes)  3. Scroll  &  Read

Reward/Pain  Alleviation

Map  the  path  users  take  to  scratch  their  itch.10  min

Find  the  “scarcest  resource”  !❑ Review  your  flow.  Where  is  

the  action  most  difficult?  !

❑ Which  resource  is  lacking?        

!!!!

!❑ What  are  3  testable  ways  to  

make  the  action  easier?

•Time  •Money  •Physical  effort  •Brain  cycles  (too  confusing)  •Social  deviance  (outside  norm)  •Non-­‐routine  (too  new)

5  min

h k

studied  by  Olds  &  Milner.

NUCLEUS  It  all  starts  with  the

ACCUMBENS

   Source:  Olds  and  Milner,  1945

The  nucleus  accumbens  is  activated  when  

we  crave.

Olds & Milner

Not exactly.

stimulatingpleasure?

Were

They  were  stimulating  the  STRESS  OF  DESIRE.

Our  reward  system  activates  with  anticipation

Source:  Knutson  et  al  2001    

…  and  calms  when  we  get  what  we  want.

Source:  Knutson  et  al  2001

That’s  the  ITCHwe  seek  to  SCRATCH.

There  is  a  way  to  supercharge  the  stress  of  desire.

IS  FASCINATING.THE  UNKNOWN

Variability  causes  us  to    focus  and  engagement

…and  increases  behavior.

The  nucleus  accumbens  is  stimulated  by  variability.

3  types  of  VARIABLE  REWARDS

TRIBE HUNT SELF

Habit-­‐forming  tech  uses  1  OR  MORE

TRIBE

SEARCH  FORSOCIAL  REWARDS

partnershipempathetic joy competition

We  Like  social  rewards.

We  LOVE  our  tribes.

We  value  recognition  and  cooperation

But  social  rewards  must  come  from  people,  not  machines.

HUNT

SEARCH  FORRESOURCES

Stems  from  the  hunt  for  food  and  resources

Hunt  for  variable  material  rewards

Hunt  for  variable  material  rewards

Hunters  at

Hunt   for  variable  information   rewards.

Hunters  on

scroll  pages.

SELF

SELF-­‐ACHIEVEMENTSEARCH  FOR

Leveling-­‐up  reflects  MASTERY  and  COMPETENCY.

Inbox  or  task  management  reflects  CONSISTENCY  and  COMPLETION.

WARNINGVariable  rewards  are  not  a  free  pass.  

Your  product  still  must  address  the  itch.

Do  your  users  feel  in  control?

AUTONOMY  IS    A  PRE-­‐REQUISITE.

Source:    Deci  and  Ryan  on  Self-­‐Determination  Theory

Beware  of  FINITE  VARIABILITY.

INFINITE  VARIABILITY  sustains  interest  longer.

Build  variable  rewards  that  satiate  the  users  itch,  but  leave  them  wanting  more.

YOUR TURN TO

REWARD YOUR USERS

❑ Review  your  flow.  Is  the  reward  fulfilling,  yet  leaves  the  user  wanting  more?  !

❑ Brainstorm  3  ways  users  search  for  variable  reward.  •Rewards  of  the  Tribe  -­‐  gratification  from  others.  •Rewards  of  the  Hunt  -­‐  things,  money  or  information.  •Rewards  of  the  Self  -­‐  mastery,  completion,  competency,  consistency.

10  min

h k

Users  “invest”  for  future  benefits.

Social Capital

Money

TimeEffort

Emotional CommitmentPersonal

Data

Investments increase the likelihood of the next pass

through the Hook in

TWOways.

1.INVESTMENTS  LOAD  THE  NEXT  TRIGGER                OF  THE  HOOK.

Each  new  message  posted  on

is  an  open  invitation  for  an  external  trigger  to  be  returned.

Loading  the  next  trigger  with  Pin  It  button  

External  Trigger:    Facebook,  Twitter,  WOM Interesting  objects  (Hunt)

ScrollRe-­‐pin,  follow,    comment

The                                  Hook

(Early  User  –  “Consumer”  )

What  did  friend  post?  (Tribe)  Interesting  objects  (Hunt)

Log-­‐inInstall  Pin  It  button,  Pin,    

Re-­‐pin,  follow,    comment

(Experienced  User  –  “Curators”)

External  Trigger:    Emails  and  notifications  

Internal  Trigger:  Fear  of  losing  content,  boredom

The                                  Hook

INVESTMENTS  STORE  VALUE,  improving  the  product  with  use.2.

CONTENT

DATA

FOLLOWERS

REPUTATION

30

!INVESTMENTS!

CREATES !PREFERENCE.

Self-made Origami

$0.23

We  value  things  more  when

Expert Origami

$0.27

we  put  work  into  them.

   Source:  Ariely,  Mochon,  and  Norton,  2012

3rd Party Bids

$0.05

CAREFULLYDRIVEPlease

Group 1 76%

Group 2 17%

As  we  invest,  we  seek  to  be    consistent  with  our  past  behaviors.

   Source:  Freedman  &  Fraser,  1966

   Source:  Jon  Esler,  1983

Changing  attitude  and  perception  to  avoid  COGNITIVE  DISSONANCE.

We  change  our  tastes  and  preferences.

Dr.  Jesse  Schell,  Professor  of  Game  Design,    Carnegie  Mellon  University

Rationalization  &  Commitment

YOUR TURN TO

GET USERS TO INVEST

❑ Review  your  flow.  What  “bit  of  work”  are  your  users  doing  to  increase  the  likelihood  of  returning?  !

❑ Brainstorm  3  ways  to  add  small  investments  into  your  user  experience  to:  •Load  the  Next  Trigger  •Store  Value

10  min

h kThe$HOOK$is$an$experience$designed$to$

connect$the$user’s$problem$to$your$solu7on.$

Each  pass  through  the  Hook  helps  SHAPE  USER  PREFERENCES  AND  ATTITUDES.

h kWith%enough%frequency,%

A"HABIT"IS"FORMED."

-­‐  A  hook  has  4  parts:  -­‐  Trigger  -­‐  Action  -­‐  Reward  -­‐  Investment

A  

T  A  

R  I

The  HOOK  Canvas

1.  What  internal  trigger  is              the  product  addressing?  2.  What  external  trigger                

gets  the  user  to  the  product?

4.  Is  the  reward  fulfilling,  yet  leaves  the  user  wanting  more?

3.  What  is  the  simplest  behavior  in  anticipation  

of  reward?

5.  What  “bit  of  work”  is  done  to  increase  the  likelihood  of  

returning?

THE  MORALITYOF  MANIPULATION

Designing   habit-­‐forming    products  is  a  form  of  manipulation.

Users  take  our  technologies  to  bed.

They  check  our  devices  before  saying  “good  morning”  to  loved  ones.

Quite  possibly,  the    “CIGARETTE  OF  THIS  CENTURY.”-­‐  Ian  Bogust

What  RESPONSIBILITY  do  we  have  when  

changing  user  behavior?

THE  WORLD  IS  FULL  OF  PROBLEMS  TO  FIX.

Help  others  find  meaning.  Engage  them  in  something  important.

Build  the  

THE  WORLD.you  want  to  see  inCHANGE

h k1.  Take  the  survey.  

www.OpinionTo.Us  !

2.  Get  the  slides.

nir@nirandfar.com  www.nirandfar.com