Behavioural Insights Unit

The NSW Behavioural Insights Unit (BIU) uses the latest research about how people really think and act to help NSW Government agencies deliver better services to citizens.

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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.

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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 blogreports and guides

How we can help you

There are four main ways we help NSW Government agencies.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Recent examples of our work

We have a track record over the past ten years of driving better customer experience and improved outcomes in key Government priorities.

COVID-19 clinic
COVID retesting

12% more people intend to get tested if they experience COVID symptoms

Housing
COVID self-isolation

29% fewer people breaching self-isolation after COVID tests

View more

Licence
Licence applications

32% fewer follow-up support requests for trade license applications

School
Education - rural

Three times more teacher applications for rural & remote schools - more than 100 placed

Apprentices
Education - Apprentices

16% fewer apprentice and trainee dropouts - 7:1 return on investment

Hospital
Health

34% fewer missed hospital appointments

Locations
Justice

25% fewer no-shows of DV defendants at court

Cancer scan
Diversity

27% more women reapplying for leadership roles - Gender gap in reapplication reduced from 45% to 4%

Email
Environment

More free trees given out and time taken for applications reduced by 73%

Latest blogs

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Learn to write for impact using behavioural insights

Our new Writing for Impact with Behavioural Insights Workshop empowers NSW public servants to apply behavioural insights to their communications for improved service outcomes.

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Electrical tradeswoman

Hiring tradeswomen – a best practice guide for employers

Australia faces a significant shortage of tradespeople, particularly in male-dominated fields. Our Employers Guide offers best practice advice for hiring more women to fill these positions. 

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Customers the ultimate winners after Behaviour Smart Bootcamp

Teams that attended our Behaviour Smart Bootcamp in 2022 have told us how the eight-month program boosted their customer service.

Research

You can read more about the work we have done with NSW Government agencies.

 

 

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