Columnist Crawford Hollingworth Behavioural friction R esearch into habits and daily routines finds that the easier a behaviour is to do, the greater the chance that a new habit will be established. When were establishing a new behaviour, we have to consciously think about doing it, which takes more effort and can make it seem harder to achieve. Minimising barriers so that it feels less daunting can facilitate the process of building a new habit. Yet, with so many contextual variables currently in flux as restrictions related to ovid change week by week differing by country and even region and with many consumers feeling cognitively strained, overwhelmed or anxious, there is more behavioural friction than ever. Friction can get in the way of desired behaviour, but it can also be engaged to discourage undesired behaviour and steer towards the behaviour you want to happen. Analysing existing friction Its important to identify the behavioural friction in peoples lives that might be preventing them from adopting a new behaviour. In 2018, a team of researchers used data from a cycle app to analyse commuter cycle routes across three European cities: Munster, in Germany; Castell, in Spain; and Valletta, in Malta. The data enabled them to identify journey friction points where cyclists had to stop, slow down, switch routes from a designated cycle path to a highway, or even get off and push. These points in the journey mean a cyclist has to be constantly alert to the next hazard or navigation point, making the journey slower, creating fear and frustration, and even discouraging cycling altogether. As cities the world over rapidly redesign their road networks to give more priority to cyclists during the pandemic, this sort of data analysis is invaluable. 48 Impact ISSUE 31 20_pp48-49_Crawford.indd 48 18/09/2020 11:57