kevin richardson - "changing behavior with positive reinforcement: speed camera lottery &...

K E V I N R I C H A R D S O N

Changing Human Behavior through fun….

Movies, Games, Fun

�  Movies to games �  Outdoor guy with an indoor job �  Volkswagen’s The Fun Theory Contest �  FT Challenge: Can you change human behavior for

the better through fun?

World’s Deepest Trash Can

1. Will Children Pick Fruit over Candy if colorfully wrapped?

2. Will People Stand in a safe Place at Bus and Train Stops if its Fun?

3. Will People Slow Down if its Fun To Do?

The Speed Camera Lottery

Elements of this Idea

�  Story Problem (is it one I/we care about?) �  Backstory (what happened before this idea?) �  Protagonist’s Concern (winning, driving safely) �  Antagonist (government, the system, time) �  Obstacle/Inhibitor Character Concern (cynicism) �  Story Limit (time or an event – what’s the urgency?) �  Story Outcome (What if we do nothing?) �  Ironic Story Premise/Twist

Key Learnings

�  Irony is good, and arbitrary (Blake Snyder) �  Reality is a great work of fiction that can be changed �  Each person is a protagonist at the center of a story �  We need to engage and activate individuals in a

physical way – not just push a button or write a check

World Premiere

Big Ideas & who we’re engaging

�  The world is a great work of fiction… �  Change the fiction (trash, stairs, driving, and now

toilet seats) �  Can game, fun, or story-fication be applied

successfully to problems beyond what’s novel, and entertaining?

�  We looked at past problems, What about the future?

The Future

What’s the problem?

�  Bill Nye – USC �  Rape: At Least 12 People Watched Girl Gang-Raped

& Did Nothing �  Beating: Dozens of people witnessed it. Several

people filmed it. Nobody helped. �  What’s the difference between Ignorance and

Apathy?

Can we engage people using fun, story and games with real problems?

�  Somali Refugee Camps – starvation �  Plastic Gyres – destroying sea life �  Destruction of the rainforest – animals, medicine… �  Overpopulation – limited resources �  Global warming… �  These are BIG problems, and therefore opportunities

Story, Game, Fun

�  Can SGF be used on big problems to �  …engage and activate? �  …involve people physically �  …put people at the center �  …actually solve some of these problems along the

way?

Why We Give

�  I feel compassionate towards people in need �  I feel fortunate and want to give something back to

others �  I want to give back to my community �  Someone I know has been personally affected by the

cause �  It makes me feel good about myself �  I want to set a good example for my family �  Allows me to give back to a community that has provided

support to me �  I want to feel I'm not powerless in the face of

need and can help

What if…

What if…

What if…

What if…

What if…

What if…

Less of this

More of this

Since the world’s a great work of fiction….