Workshop Exercises: Ideate
Habit Stacking
Integrate new user habits by associating them with existing ones
Why: Leverage already established habits as anchors for new ones to make the introduction of new habits feel more natural and less intrusive, and reduces resistance.
When: Use when getting users to perform new recurring behavior.
James Clearâs Habit Stacking model is an approach to behavior modification, focusing on associating new habits with established ones, making the adoption of new behaviors feel like a natural extension of existing routines. For products that aim to induce habit formation, weaving new behaviors into usersâ established routines is a very useful framework.
In Habit Stacking, cues are integral, often represented by established habits that lead to the initiation of the new, stacked habit. The specificity and immediacy of these cues are crucial, determining the success of the newly adopted habit. The habit stacking formula, âAfter/Before [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]â provides a clear structure, linking new habits explicitly to well-established ones, ensuring smooth transitions and minimizing friction and resistance.
This approach facilitates creating habit-forming products by aligning new behaviors with usersâ existing routines, reducing cognitive load and making the adoption of new behaviors more frictionless.
Instructions for running this play
- Introduction to Habit Stacking
Quick overview of James Clearâs Habit Stacking concept and its relevance in product design.
- Identify the target habit
Define the specific habit you desire users to adopt and clearly articulate the desired outcome and behavior. - List existing user habits
Using user research data or user journey maps, list the current habits of your users. Evaluate and score each habit as:- Good (beneficial and should be maintained)
- Bad (detrimental and needs alteration)
- Neutral (doesnât significantly impact the userâs life)
- List routine events in the user journey
Identify and list consistent events in a userâs recurring journey with your product that can act as triggers. Examples include:- Receiving a notification
- Completing a task within the app
- Regular intervals, like morning or lunchtime
- Identify habit stacking opportunities
Combine the lists from Steps 2 and 3 and analyze the combined list to identify optimal points where the new habit can be naturally integrated into the userâs existing routine. -
Create habit stacks
Using the habit stacking design formula, create habit stacks for the top 3 opportunities identified in Step 4:
After/Before [USER PERFORMS SPECIFIC ACTION],
the system will [PROMPT/ENCOURAGE NEW ACTION].Ensure that each stack is coherent, actionable, and is likely to encourage the desired behavior.
Every card deck includes workshop patterns, so your team can put the methods to work in your next session.
Running behavioral design workshops? The Persuasive Patterns Workshop Playbook (PDF) shows you how to design and run them.
Browse the card decks- Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery.