Behavioral Insights
Our Behavioral Insights (BI) team applies behavioral science to help solve complex challenges facing the workforce system. By understanding how people make decisions, we can help improve compliance, reduce improper payments and streamline processes.
Our Approach:
- Innovative: Inspires fresh ideas and approaches
- Iterative: Uses a "try, test and improve" approach
- Informed: Leverages data and research
Featured Resource
UI Overpayment Recovery Guide
*A NASWA member log-in is required to access this resource in the Library.
Why Behavioral Insights?
Behavioral Insights offers a framework for understanding people’s behaviors and choices which underlie the things they do. These insights can be helpful to government programs, as they strive to address behaviors that contribute to program challenges.
Behavioral Insights can address fundamental behavioral problems in programs, such as:
- Helping claimants better understand UI program requirements
- Nudging claimants about expectations when there is still time for them to meet the requirements
- Identifying and reducing obstacles to customer compliance in tax and benefits systems
- Helping claimants plan and execute better work searches
- Supporting staff in communicating program changes to customers
What We Offer
We can help your state with the six areas of support outlined below.
Communications Support
● Plain Language Reviews
● Form Redesign
● Pop-up Messages/ Reminder Messages
● Communication Strategy Development
● Desk Aid Creation
Systems Design
● Business Process Analysis
● Process Audits
● Journey Mapping/ Behavioral Mapping
● Behavioral Diagnosis of Problems and Barriers
Capacity Building
● Intensive Trainings
● One-time Workshops
● Organizational Upskilling
● Plain Language & Evaluation Guides
Measuring Impact
● Surveys
● Data Analysis
● Analysis Plan Development
● Formative & Impact Evaluations
User Experience (UX) Design
● Website/ Portal Redesign
● Prototype Design
Customer Research
● Participatory Research and Design
● Interview & Focus Group Guide Development
● Interviews and Focus Groups
● Usability Testing
Resources
Available to NASWA members only. Login required.
The BI Beat
The BI Beat is our monthly newsletter column, featuring insights, practical examples, and interviews from the field. Check out the most recent editions below, and view past editions here.
Tools for Compliance: Why Expiring Work Search Waivers are like an Exercise Routine
There are many reasons that exercise can be difficult. It is uncomfortable, it takes time, it makes you sweat, it is boring, and so on. Another important reason exercise can be difficult is the extra effort it takes to build a new routine. You may have had the same morning rituals for a long time, so suddenly crunching in some sit-ups—even if they’re good for your long-term health—can be challenging. The same psychological logic holds for claimants who have been filing weekly claims but have had a waiver from work search activities. Suddenly crunching in some work search activities—even if it’s good for claimants’ long-term financial health—can be challenging.
Tools for Compliance: Reminders and Nudges for Work Search Activities
You’re heading out the door when your phone buzzes. “Reminder: Submit your expense report today.” You pause. You meant to do that earlier in the week. You even told yourself on Monday that you would take care of it before things got busy. Then meetings piled up, emails kept coming, and suddenly it’s Thursday afternoon. Without that reminder, the report might sit unfinished for another few days. Not because you disagree with the requirement. Not because it’s difficult. You simply forgot.
Tools for Compliance: Work Search Log
It’s fun to complain about paperwork—try asking a nurse, police officer, or a taxpayer at your next dinner party. Red tape has a magical way of sapping our energy. Behavioral and cognitive scientists have done a great deal of work to map out how we exhaust our limited energy (“cognitive bandwidth”) with unnecessary paperwork (“sludge”). Conclusion: paperwork is a drag. And yet, of course, we need medical records, police reports, and tax filings. As Mary Poppins might sing, this is a “spoonful of sugar” kind of problem. We need the medicine, but can we perhaps make it less bitter? One simple trick is to make the red tape as simple as possible.
Meet Our Team
We are available to provide virtual or in-person assistance for your agency.
