New Technical Briefs Highlight Opportunities and Recommendations for Behavioral Economics and Human-Centered Design in Family Planning

Written by: Danielle Piccinini Black, Senior Program Officer, Breakthrough ACTION

Have you ever wondered how to leverage behavioral economics or human-centered design to increase the impact of social and behavior change (SBC) approaches for family planning programming? Breakthrough ACTION is pleased to present a set of companion technical briefs: Using a Behavioral Economics Approach for Family Planning (English and French) and Leveraging Human-Centered Design for Family Planning (English and French).

These evidence-based briefs highlight opportunities for using behavioral economics and human-centered design in family planning SBC programs as well as critical things to consider when employing them.

Programs may want to consider using a human-centered design approach when they:

1. Are not seeing expected results and do not know why.
2. Desire a deeper, empathy-driven solution.
3. Want a solution vetted before implementation.

Similarly, programs may consider behavioral economics when they:

1. Want to address an absence of intention to practice a given behavior or a gap between intention formation and practicing a behavior.
2. Wish to redesign the underlying context that shapes how decisions are made and actions are taken.
3. Want to deepen their understanding of behavioral drivers and barriers to practicing a behavior from a different perspective.

The opportunities and recommendations highlighted in the briefs are supplemented by evidence snapshots, which provide details on the literature used in content development as well as recent programmatic examples of behavioral economics and human-centered design application sourced directly from implementers, including Breakthrough ACTION.