Build on my bad habits

Daniele Catalanotto
Apr 6, 2022


A Service Design principle to help people get rid of old habits

We’re walking in a park next to a tiny lake with my kid. A sign says something like this:

“Please don’t give bread to the ducks. It’s pretty bad for their health”.

Hmmm, I didn’t know that! Good to know. Sadly there are people out there who continue to give bread to ducks... I feel that some people might think like this:

“I’ve carried this big old bread up to here! So I’m going to give it to the ducks! After all, it can’t be so bad for them!”

After a few hundred meters, we see a container where it’s written something like:

“Please put your old bread here for the rabbits.”

That is smart! Instead of having people give tons and tons of old bread to the rabbits, the staff can manage the quantity. People still get rid of the old bread they wanted to give to the rabbits.

These two different signs made me think.

As a service creator or designer, you can help me perform my bad habit in a less damaging way.

You know I’ll bring old bread, so don’t just put an informative sign, but give me a place to get rid of that old bread. And maybe with time, I’ll stop bringing bread because where is the fun if it’s just putting it in a box.

Alternative titles
I'm not happy yet with the title of this principle, so I'm exploring a few other ones:
  1. Let me do the bad behaviour in a safe way: the original title I had
  2. Let me do my bad habit in a less harmful way
  3. Let me do my bad habit in a smart way
  4. Build on my bad habits: I feel this one gives a new light to the principle and makes it even more interesting and could help me adapt it in the next iteration

Little side notes

  • This is the second draft of this Service Design Principle.
  • I was able to reduce the lengths by 36.2% compared to the first version.
  • Once adapted, even more, this principle will be part of the book "Service Design Principles 201-300"
  • As always feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.
Like
Patrick Marcelissen
May 4, 2022
Clear to read the message of the principle. I would go for title 4.
I have seen this happen also in the Netherlands. Some people do due religious reasons. Or are convinced they do the right thing.  So give like a container or other alternative to do the right thing. Again the theory behind this is nudging.  At last give the right information instead of this is bad for the ducks. Show the impact of the behavior, why is it bad to do such thing.
Daniele Catalanotto
Jun 4, 2022
Thanks for the feedback :) 
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 22, 2022

The third draft of this Service Design Principle

We’re walking in an animal park with my kid. A first sign says something like this:

“Please don’t feed the animals. It’s bad for their health”.

Someone who brings his old bread with his kids until here might think: “I’ve carried this big old bread up to here! And It’s something I did for years with my parents back in the day! After all, it can’t be so bad for the animals! Right?!”

But the park staff is smart and doesn’t only rely on information to make change happen. A few steps later, next to a rabbit cage, another sign near a box says:

“Please put your old bread for the rabbits in the box.”

That’s smart. The staff offers an alternative action. It lets people get rid of that old bread without killing the animals. So maybe with time, people will stop bringing bread. Because where is the fun if it’s just putting it in a box?

So let me ask you:

How can you help people perform their bad habits less damagingly and lose them over time?

Daniele’s notes

  • This is the third draft of this principle.
  • I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 19 % compared to its previous draft.
  • I restructured the principle to have the question at the end and rewrote big chunks of it to make the idea clearer
Deleted
Oct 29, 2022
Title possibility: Use my bad habits as a springboard to better ones