Challenge

Having had sports as a long-standing part of my life, it was a joy to be able to share in my love for sports and behavioural science in a session that Piera Mattioli and I delivered in collaboration with Yunus Sports Hub for the IOC Young Leaders Programme.

The IOC Young Leaders were keen to learn:

• What are the key principles of behaviour change design?

• How can we apply this approach to our own work?

Project

In an interactive 1.5-hour session, Piera and I guided the IOC Young Leaders through three key behavioural science and service design tools and how to use them in combination to understand behaviour and design sports programmes that drive behaviour change.

Here are our top tips:

1. View behaviour as part of a system or journey.
   Start by understanding how behaviours are interconnected and part of a broader system. By mapping out this holistic view, you can identify the best points of intervention for impact.

2. Be specific.
   Clearly define the target behaviour: who needs to do what, when, where, how often, and with whom? The more precise you are, the more effective your analysis will be.

3. Use behavioural change models.
   For meaningful behaviour change, ensure individuals have the capability, opportunity, and motivation to change. Context is key—consider it carefully for a comprehensive approach.