Behavioural Insights Unit

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We provide tips and the latest results on using behavioural insights, and upcoming events and workshops for NSW public servants to support NSW citizens.

About us

Our mission is to work with NSW Government agencies to improve the effectiveness of public services and public policy.

We combine evidence from behavioural sciences and behavioural economics with the experience of service agencies and customers to identify and evaluate what works, when and why to change behaviour.

Our behavioural approach can be applied in a range of different situations to solve diverse challenges.

You can read about our work in our blog, reports and guides.

How we can help you

There are four main ways we help NSW Government agencies.

Rapid advice: We rapidly review policy or service-delivery proposals and test underlying behavioural assumptions against evidence or NSW practice experience. We run a regular Behavioural Insights Clinic to tease out and pressure test behavioural challenges or you can contact us for a tailored service.
Improve the customer experience and reduce sludge: Sludge is excessive or unjustified frictions that make it difficult for customers to achieve their goals. We have a sludge toolkit we use with agencies to identify and rapidly resolve behavioural barriers that get in the way of good customer experience and the NSW Customer Commitments.
Build and test behavioural interventions: We work with agencies on major priorities (like the NSW Premier’s Priorities) to build and test better ways to change behaviour and improve citizen outcomes. We use the most rigorous methodology we can, often randomised controlled trials (RCTs), to determine whether the intervention works and how it can be implemented.
Behaviourally-smart NSW Government: We grow NSW public sector confidence and capability to use behavioural sciences and economics to improve citizen outcomes. We do this by providing guides to applying behavioural insights, supporting behavioural champions in agencies, sharing information on how NSW is applying behavioural insights and other activities.