SMART COMMUNICATORS CARE ABOUT NUDGES

There's a growing body of research in the field of behavioural sciences that smart communicators should be paying attention to. It's work that isn't usually led by communicators. In the public sector, where it is gaining real traction, it tends to be led by policy experts drawing on the expertise of social scientists, psychologists and behavioural economists. But it presents an enormous opportunity for communicators to assume a strong role and to prove and improve the value of their work.

If you're not familiar with the field, behavioural science is being applied to design relatively small, low-cost interventions that generate proportionally large results. Often referred to as "nudges", the idea is that you can tweak the way a policy is applied to counter the natural psychological biases in all of us that may prevent us from making what would logically be considered the better choice - like enrolling in a pension plan. (For more background and examples, see the work of the U.K.'s Behavioural Insights Team.) 

If you look at the growing list of successful nudges in jurisdictions around the world, many of them are essentially based in sound communications practice - things like using clear language to increase compliance with policy. And the data-driven approach taken to prove the value of nudges can actually validate the importance of sound communications practice. But just as importantly, the science behind nudges can also help communications be much more successful. It provides a deeper level of understanding when you think about who your audience is and the dynamics that influence their response to you and your thing. 

Smart communicators would be wise to embrace this. And, while I may be bias in this, I think smart communicators who also have experience in policy development are also the wise choice to lead the implementation of nudges in any organization wanting to more effectively engage its clients.