The most successful behavior change programs understand that friction is not inherently good or bad. Instead, they intentionally reduce friction around the desired behavior and, in some cases, introduce modest friction around the behavior they are seeking to change.

Across our consumer behavior research and in-market campaigns, one lesson consistently emerges across cities: consumers are far more likely to adopt a new behavior when the desired action is simple and easy to understand.

Successful programs recognize that behavior change does not happen through messaging alone. Participation increases when consumers encounter visible infrastructure and cues that make the desired behavior easy to notice, understand and act upon.

Social norms shape behavior. When consumers see others participating and recognize a behavior as common and expected, they are far more likely to adopt it themselves than when they are motivated by environmental messaging alone.

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Across our citywide initiatives, incentives have proven most effective when they are part of a broader behavior change strategy that combines convenience, visibility, social norms and clear guidance.