For every design decision, a host of factors guide the outcome and subsequent user behavior. Often the factors are not rational or reasonable, but rather based on emotion. The field of behavioral economics arose out of the need to understand that choice-making behavior. David Fetherstonhaugh speaks about the relevance of behavioral economics to designers, user researchers, and product developers.
Behavioral economists are learning what designers already know instinctively: Human emotions can be leveraged in the choice-making moment to achieve a desired behavioral end. Fetherstonhaugh gives a number of examples of how human emotion, memory, feeling, etc. affect decision making. In particular, he outlines his involvement in Bank of America's "Keep The Change" program. He discusses why the underlying principles of this program made it successful and how they can be used in other contexts.
Following Fetherstonhaugh's presentation, a Q & A session explores issues of using this knowledge for "evil" ends and whether it is possible to present choice in a neutral way.
David Fetherstonhaugh is a behavioral economist at IDEO. Because decisions often determine behavior, David sees architecting choice as integral to breakthrough design. As choice architect, David applies a human-centered approach to behavioral design in the areas of health, nutrition, energy, and financial wellness. Before joining IDEO, David led government and academic research projects for Knowledge Networks, including projects on terrorism, environmental protection, and health risks. David has also founded two venture-backed companies and led them through several growth stages. He has published numerous papers and book chapters on the value of human life, persuasion, and retirement decision making. David came to Stanford to study with Amos Tversky. At Stanford, he earned a Ph.D. in psychology and a Masters Degree in statistics.
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